Awakening
by Nebbiez
Summary: Someone decides to "awaken" Duo, but what does that mean? FINISHED!! ^^ Lots of angst, some blood, and a LIME. Hilde X Duo.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: None of the Gundam Wing characters belong to me! Though I wish Duo were all mine…*^ ^* But, he isn't. The only character that is copyright to ME is Gas'la, whom you'll meet later. Please do NOT use my character or my plot for your own gain, thanks.

Note: This is a 2xH fic, if you don't like that coupling, DO NOT READ THIS! This chapter is mostly good angst stuff. Very sweet…

Ch. 1-Confession of Love

Hilde sighed and sat back in her chair, stretching her arms above her head in exhaustion. She was finally finished updating the accounts; it had taken her hours to finish. Duo's snores caught her attention and she looked over to see him passed out on the couch. The sight made her grin. Leave it to Duo to sleep when she was working hard for his stupid business. Another thought crossed her mind as she looked over at the sleeping boy, his braid coming undone slightly and his bangs were falling in his face. He looked so young and innocent when he was sleeping and probably dreaming about something stupid. She giggled slightly at the thought and shook her head. She must really be tired.

She stood and picked up the account books, placing them in place on the shelf. Her corner was the only place in the whole trailer, minus her room, that was tidy at all. This thought made her giggle as well. How would Duo survive without her? He'd have to eat off dirty dishes and wear dirty clothes! She grimaced at that thought as she tiptoed out of the room and down to her own room.

Thank God she'd met him, she thought with a slight smile on her lips, otherwise he'd probably be dead by now. That thought made pride rise in her chest as she lifted her shirt up over her head and threw it on the bed. Likewise, she slipped out of her pants and threw them on the bed. Walking over to her dresser, she began to unsnap her bra, letting it fall just as she opened her drawers to rummage through them for a large t-shirt to sleep in. Not able to find one, she lifted out the only complete nightclothes she had. Because of the design she didn't normally wear it. Long, white, lacy nightgowns didn't really suit her very well.

She lifted the gown above her head and let it slip down to cover her body with its smooth, silky surface. Twirling around in it, she looked over her shoulder at the mirror. A slight smile crossed her lips again as she ran her fingers along her curves. She looked surprisingly good in it. 'I wonder if Duo would like this,' she wandered and then stopped herself; blush coloring her cheeks. What was with all these thoughts all the sudden?

Shaking her head, she picked up a brush and ran it through her now mid-neck length ebony hair. It was silky smooth under her touch and she found herself humming quietly while she brushed her thick hair longer than usual. It had to be perfectly smooth. Once she was finally happy with the result she stepped back to look at her reflection critically. Two years had done a lot to her body she realized, blush covering her cheeks again. Her curves were more prominent; she no longer looked like a tomboy with her longer hair and the make-up she still had to wash off her face. Of course, Duo hadn't noticed anything minus the change in her hair. But that didn't matter. Why should he?

Mentally slapping herself for thinking about Duo again, she left the room and walked quietly to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Turning on the sink she looked closer in the mirror. Not even a blemish on her soft skin. Glad for that, she made sure the water was warm enough before she cleansed her face with her facial soap. Then she turned the water back to cold and ran her toothbrush under the water. As she began to brush her teeth she hummed slightly through the frothy paste in her mouth. Once she'd spit it out and rinsed out both the sink and her toothbrush she turned off the faucet and left the bathroom, peeking out to see that Duo was still asleep on the couch.

He'd stopped snoring, she noticed with a grin as she walked over to him, looking down at his sleeping form. He really did look much younger when he slept, like a lost little boy. She reached over him for the blanket hanging over the couch and then stretched it over him. When she looked up at his face she realized his eyes were open. She stopped in mid-action and stared at him, looking deep into those rare indigo eyes of his.

"D-Duo…you're awake," she stated in surprise, her face warming. Afraid she might be blushing, she looked down at the blanket, suddenly interested in the design.

He sat up and yawned, rubbing his eyes with his palms. "Yeah, so are you," he replied simply, yawning as he spoke. "What's your point?" He looked over at her and grinned when he saw the nightgown. "That's a new look for you, Hilde." She knew she was blushing now and she couldn't bring herself to look at him. "Not bad…" he commented as he stood. "Sleep seems good right about now. You finished the accounts?"

She nodded as she refolded the blanket, laying it across the back of the couch once again. Why had she blushed when he'd commented on the nightgown? She'd never done that before, she was used to his insignificant comments. Why did it matter so much now?

"That's good," he stated as he fiddled with the end of his braid, undoing it so his long chestnut hair fell down along his back. "So, where'd you get that nightgown anyway? I've never seen you wear it…" He yawned again, not even bothering to cover his mouth. That action used to disgust her, but now she suddenly found it very cute and little boyish.

Looking down at her nightgown she smiled sadly. "It was my mother's," she told him, looking back up at him, brushing her bangs out of her face. "It's all I have left of her…she died when I was very young…my father gave it to me before he left for good…" Tears were threatening her as the memories of her mother, though very faint, and the memories of her father passed through her mind. "I never thought it really suited me…but I kept it nonetheless…just because it still…s-smells like her…" A lump was forming in her throat, but she forced it down. There was no way she was going to cry in front of Duo.

"Hey, Hilde, you okay?" he asked worriedly when he noticed her facial expression and the tone in her voice. 'Great, doofus, you said something that made her cry. You're stupid,' he thought as he looked at over at her.

She nodded as she wiped her eyes. "Yeah, why shouldn't I be?" she asked, her voice still choked. "I mean, it happened so long ago, I'm over it all now…besides, lots of people have it worse than me, right? At least I knew my parents…before they passed…" She stopped short when she remembered what had happened to Duo's parents. "I…I'm sorry, Duo…"

Any feeling that passed through him he pushed away. "It's fine, like you said, it happened a long time ago," he replied with a shrug. "I'm over it now. But, you're sure you're okay?" He tilted his head to the side, studying her thoroughly.

Suddenly she felt very weak, unable to stop the tears as the leaked traitorously down her face silently. She shook her head and then held it in her hands. "No…I'm not…" she murmured through her tears as he walked over and hugged her. Surprised at the serious act she pulled her hands away from her face and looked up at him. "D-Duo…" she whispered as he held her closer to him, rocking her back and forth in his strong arms. She held him to, suddenly feeling that his back was shaking slightly under her touch.

"I'm sorry I brought those memories back," he told her, his voice uncharacteristically soft and serious. "It hurt you. I shouldn't've said anything, me and my big mouth…" His body was shaking slightly as he held her. He'd grown over the past two years, making him have to bend over her to let her rest her head on his shoulder. She hadn't realized it before, or how good he smelled for that matter. Maybe it was because they'd never been that close before.

'Are you…crying, Duo?' she thought in surprise as she pulled away from him, looking up to see the tears in his eyes before he could hide them from her sight. "It's okay, Duo, don't worry about it," she said with a strength she didn't feel. "I brought out some memories too…I'm sorry…"

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her from an arm length away, his eyes dark. "You don't always have to be strong, Hilde," he replied. "You can cry if you need to." Those words shocked her, her eyes wide in surprise. Something that serious coming from Duo? She couldn't believe it. The night was just full of surprises.

She brushed his bangs out of his eyes, exposing the tears that were hiding there. "You don't have to be strong either," she replied quietly. Her tone was soft and comforting, sounding so much like her mothers that she listened to it once more in her head to make sure it was her voice.

Duo shook his head and removed his hands, turning away from her to wipe his eyes. "I do. My role is different from yours," he replied shortly before he moved down the hall to his room. She was unable to stop him, to make him stay. Instead she remained standing there staring after him, too shocked to move from her spot.

'You were crying…' she thought as he shut his door.

He stood with his back to the door, his hands holding his bangs out of his eyes. 'Idiot. Moron. Imbecile. Stupid. You let her see you cry…how could you do that? Out of all the people in the world, you had to let her. Now she'll look at you with pity…everyday. That look will never stop. That same look that Sister Helen and Father Maxwell gave you…and Solo…they all gave you that look and then died! How could you!' he thought angrily and punched the wall.

A sigh escaped his lips as he slid down to the floor, his arms resting on his raised knees. 'It can't be helped…' he thought. 'It's too late now…you have to get away…you have to get away…' He rested his head along the door and looked up at the blank ceiling. The little trailer they'd shared had begun to feel like home. They were a family. Brother and sister. She was there to help him survive, an extension of himself. He'd learned to live with her assistance, and now he would have to live without it.

Thought, he'd lived without her before. He could do it again. But, he didn't want to now. He dreaded her absence. This feeling deep inside surprised him. He did want to leave, didn't he? Of course he did. He'd leave that night! And never come back. Never. Once again a pit formed in his stomach and he suddenly felt sick. Standing, he wavered slightly as he walked over to his bed, stripping out of his clothes along the way and then flopping down on the soft mattress.

His bed was made, the sheets freshly washed. The smell made him smile. Hilde had been at it again. He hadn't even asked her to do it, and she'd done it anyway. The smell was sweet and clean, but it was more than that, it was Hilde. A piece of her was against him, covering him, keeping him warm. Did it matter that much? No. He was still leaving. Anything to escape that face. She couldn't look at him like that. He wouldn't be able to stand it.

He turned off his light just as he heard her close her bedroom door. Another hour and she'd be completely asleep. Then he could leave. Sneaking out would be easy for the Gundam pilot. He'd gotten out of much bigger messes than this! Besides, he was used to leaving. This was the longest he'd stayed in one place, just simply because he'd had no reason to go. Everything was peaceful now. Perfect. Until only a few minutes before, when she'd seen his weakness. Leaving was the only solution.

After tossing and turning restlessly for an hour or so, he sat up and quietly removed some of his clothes from his dresser, looking down at the clean, neatly folded fabric sadly. Hilde had down that too, once again without him asking. Things he'd come to expect from her. Simple little things that held so much significance now. He quickly put them on and took an extra shirt as well. Then he tiptoed out of his room and closed his door behind him, walking down the hall to the kitchen.

As he walked through he saw that everything was in its place. The dishes were clean and lying in the dish drainer. Smells from dinner were still hanging in the air. Even if she wasn't a very good cook, he'd come to like her cooking. She put so much into every meal, hoping that he would be able to stomach it. He smiled at the thought and looked over at the sitting area where she'd put the blanket across him, thinking that he was asleep. Then his eyes rested on her work corner, where she put so much time into the accounts so that his business could survive.

The thought of leaving all of this brought the pit back to his stomach and he felt sick again. No, he was leaving! Now! He had to get away from the sympathy, the expression he'd come to hate so much. Putting his hand on the doorknob he was about to turn it when his hand lost all strength and he couldn't take hold of it. Reality struck him as he looked around the small trailer and then down the hall to where he knew she was sleeping. This had become his life, his reality. He couldn't leave. No matter how hard his body tried, his heart kept him there. In his home. Their home.

'Dammit!' he thought as he rested against the door. 'Why? Why can't I leave?! It's not fair!' His body was shaking again with the emotions reeling through him. Gaining strength again he stood and walked over to the couch, slouching against its soft support gratefully. He stretched his head back along the back of the couch and sighed. 'I knew I should've left a long time ago…I'm attached now…it's all her fault…all her fault…'

"Can't sleep?" a soft voice whispered and he looked up to see her standing in the hallway. "I heard you leave your room…I couldn't sleep either…so…I thought I might as well come out to check on you." She walked over and sat down next to him, making his heart leap in his chest.

When he felt that he looked away from her in surprise. 'This is just great, Duo, what have you done?' he scolded himself. 'You've really made a mess now…not only can't you leave, but you're attracted to her! Shit!' He looked back over at her and shrugged casually. 'That's right, remain casual. She's used to that.' "Not really…I'm fine though, you can go back to sleep…" he replied simply.

"You're sure you're okay?" she asked quietly, tilted her face to look at him straight on. "It's not normal for you to not be able to sleep…is it about the conversation before?" Her expression turned pitiful and he had to look away, moving his head quickly. She stopped it with her hands and she moved his face to look at hers. Her touch was gentle and feather light. "Duo…please tell me what's wrong," she pleaded. "I want to know…"

"Don't look at me like that," he stated darkly as he tried to pull his face away.

She looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?" she asked simply. "Duo, tell me what's wrong…" She forced him to look at her, her eyes stern.

"Don't look at me with pity," he replied sternly and finally managed to pull away from her. "And don't touch me…just leave me alone…please…" His voice began to choke up as he looked back up at her, her expression hurt. Tears were congregating in the corners of his indigo eyes as he looked at her gentle face.

Now her expression was full of worry and pity, the two he hated the most. But, for some reason, they looked beautiful on her face. The way her lips formed the frown, the way her soft eyes looked at him sadly, the way her dark eyebrows formed the worry lines along her skin. Everything. "Duo…I…I'm sorry…I hurt you…" she muttered as she started to stand awkwardly. "I'll leave you…"

His body moved on its own, grabbing her around the waist and holding her against him, her back pressed against his chest. "No…don't…" he murmured into her hair. "Stay with me…" His heart was pounding so fast, blood coursing through his veins. 'Stupid…stupid…stupid…' he thought as he felt her tiny body in his arms. 'Now you've really done it. You'll never be able to pull away now…she'll give you that look forever…' What was so strange was that he didn't mind.

At first her body was tense with surprise and confusion, but then it relaxed, allowing him to pull her towards him. "Just stay like this…" he whispered. "Until I can control this wanting…"

"Wanting?" she repeated in confusion, her voice barely audible.

"To leave…don't let me leave, Hilde, don't let me leave," he begged. "Keep looking at me like that, make me like it. I don't want to go…I don't want to go…" 'What am I doing?' he thought, 'I'm so weak! I…I'm probably scaring her…' "Keep on washing the dishes, and doing my laundry…keep making my bed…be a part of my life…" he continued to beg. "You don't have to love me…or want me…just let me take these small things for granted…please…"

Tears of joy filled her eyes and she turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Am I allowed to love you?" she asked simply, her face inches from his. "Because if not, I've broken the rules already…" When he nodded her bottom lip began to quiver as the tears came from her eyes.

He wiped them away with his thumbs and then he kissed her lightly on the lips, pulling away with a slight smile on his lips. Then he kissed her again, this time it was more passionate and deep, pressing her down onto the couch. "I'm never leaving…" he murmured before he kissed her again.

'Thank You, God,' she thought as he kissed her deeply, her hands on either side of his face, not allowing him to move to far away. 'Thank You…for giving me all I've ever wanted…' She sighed as she felt his lips on her neck, the kisses barely touched her skin. "Do you love me?" she managed to ask before she reached up to kiss his forehead.

"I couldn't leave…" he replied, as if that would answer her question. "I've never had that problem before…you've become a part of me, Hilde. Something no one can replace." He kissed her again, letting his kisses travel all over her face and then down along her neck to her shoulder. His long hair was spilling all around them like a blanket; stroking her skin with its soft, gentle touch. "Maybe we should tie this back," he said, referring to his hair. "It could get in the way, ne?" He kissed her again gently.

She giggled and reached back to gather his hair together with one hand, the other reaching for a hair tie on the coffee table and putting back the hair with it. The pony tail was messy, causing some of his chestnut locks to fall out and into his face. But, it was fine with her. As long as he kept looking at her like that. "You're a part of me too," she told him softly as she kissed his cheek and then his lips. "Crazy, isn't it? We never saw this coming…even after three years in this trailer…we never saw it…" Her hands brushed the bangs out of his face, only to have them cascade back down his forehead, covering his indigo eyes.

He grinned at her, his mouth forming something more like a sneer. "Leave it to two stubborn asses like us, huh?" he replied as he gave her a peck on the lips. "We can't see our hands right in front of our faces."

Hilde shook her head and smiled. "Nope. That we couldn't," she said simply as she kissed his neck, bringing him closer to her. "Pretty dumb, huh?" His lips brushed along her shoulder and then he stopped, making her pause as well. Then he pulled away from her and looked down at her, her arms still raised where she'd been holding him.

"Not now, Hilde," he stated sternly. "We can't rush into this…" He sat back along the back of the couch and watched as she lowered her hands and looked over at him. "You're a virgin, I can't just take that from you, can I?" He smiled and put his arms behind his head, resting against them. "Trust me, I can wait. Besides, it's something for you to look forward to."

She blushed when he said she was a virgin. Of course she was. But, she'd never told him that. Was she that obvious? The fact that he knew made her embarrassed of the fact. When he saw this he chuckled. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Hilde, in fact I'd be proud of it," he told her gently. "Which is why I'm not going to push anything."

Grateful for his understanding she sat up and rested her head on his chest, wrapping her left arm up around his shoulders. "Thank you, Duo…for everything…" she said and yawned, her eyes closing slowly. Struggling to stay awake, she forced them open when she felt him wrap his arms around her. "I love you…" She yawned again and she could no longer control her eyes as she felt the lids slowly slide shut, her body relaxing in his arms.

When he felt her body relax he realized just how delicate she was. Her body was so tiny and fragile it was a wonder that she didn't break in his arms. "Love you too, Hilde," he whispered as he collected her in his arms and stood slowly. Then he lightly carried her to her room and laid her down on the bed, kissing her on the forehead. "Night…" he whispered, his lips just inches from her skin. "I'll see you in the morning…"

Then he quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him. She subconsciously heard him leave and smiled in her sleep. 'Good night, Duo…I love you…'


	2. Ch 2

Note: Here is where my copyright character comes in. Like him? Don't like him? Up to you. But DON'T USE HIM!! This chapter ends on an unusually happy note too! ^ ^

Ch. 2-Gas'la

The next morning Hilde woke up to the sunlight coming in through her window and birds chirping happily. Thank God for spring was the first thought to cross her mind. Sitting up in her bed she rubbed her eyes gently and then looked around her. Realizing how late it must be she hurried out of her room and down the hall to see Duo sitting on the couch, remote in hand. When he saw her he grinned. "Mornin', Sleeping Beauty," he jabbed as he turned off the TV. "You must've been tired…"

She smiled slightly and walked over, sitting down next to him and resting her head on his shoulder, a yawn coming from her lips. "Yeah, I guess I was," she replied softly. "I'm surprised you're not still asleep…" She looked over at the clock; it was almost noon. "Normally you're still snoring away to your heart's content…" For some reason she just felt so sleepy and relaxed, she couldn't explain it.

Duo shrugged slightly, trying not to jar her head around too much. "I just woke up early I guess," he offered as he began to channel surf, clicking the buttons on the remote rhythmically. "We switched roles today, huh?" She nodded and removed her head from his shoulder, stretching her arms above her head. "But, I _am_ kinda hungry…" he hinted and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Fine, I'll go make breakfast," she grumbled and stood up, walking over to the kitchen to start making breakfast. "Geez, ya' tell a guy you love them and you automatically become their slave…" Her grumbling made Duo laugh as he turned off the TV and walked into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "No sweet-talking your way out of it, Duo," she stated and yawned again. "I'll grumble anyway."

He laughed and kissed her cheek. "Okay, I won't. That's simple," he said, still chuckling quietly. "I don't need any coffee, I already had some. But, I wouldn't mind you telling me you love me again…" He was rocking her back and forth so she couldn't mix the eggs correctly. She'd barely managed to crack them with his arms around her.

"Duo…" she complained and grimaced as he kissed her cheek. "Do you want breakfast or not?"

"Come on, please?" he begged. "I won't leave you alone until ya' do…" His grin turned into a toothy smile when she glared at him. "It can't be that hard."

She sighed in exasperation and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Duo," she told him honestly then turned back to where she was trying to mix the eggs. "Now, will you leave me alone so I can make you breakfast?" He kissed her neck and then removed his hold on her, walking back over to the couch. "Thank you," she told him gratefully. "But, I'd like an 'I love you' in return."

He gave her a funny look. "I was gonna wait till after breakfast, ya' know, to say along with the 'thank you', but I guess saying it twice won't hurt," he replied and grinned again as he stretched out along the couch. "I love you, Hilde."

When he said that she couldn't help but smile, blush appearing on her cheeks. She finished mixing the eggs and poured them into a pan, turning on the heat underneath. "How many pieces of toast do you want?" she asked as she took down the bread from the top of the refrigerator. "One or two?" She turned to look at him.

"Two, of course," he retorted, as if she should've known. "After three years you don't know? Geez, Hilde." He gave an exaggerated sigh and crossed his arms. When he saw her expression he cracked up. "Chill out, I was just kidding! But, I do want two pieced of toast." He picked up the remote again and turned the TV back on; flipping through the channels and stopping on one of the news reports.

She began to cook the eggs, pushing them around on the pan with a spatula until they were almost completely cooked. Adding some shredded cheddar cheese she let them finish cooking as she took down to plates and set them on the counter. Once they were done she put them on both plates, putting the larger serving on Duo's plate. As if on cue the toast popped out of the toaster and she picked up the two brownest ones and covered them in butter, then grape jelly. She placed them on Duo's plate as well and then grabbed the other piece of toast and placed it on her plate, putting a little bit of butter on it. Then she poured each of them a small glass of orange juice. After pouring herself a cup of coffee and filling it with cream and sugar she carried the plates over to the table, setting them down and then returning with the orange juice. One more trip with her coffee and she was ready to sit down next to him.

"Another child's gone missing," he informed her darkly as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Damn sick people. Who would take a little boy?" A picture appeared on the screen showing a little boy with messy chestnut hair. His eyes were a dark indigo and he was smiling happily. "This time the disappearance was on L2." He shook his head as he reached for his fork and then took a bite of his eggs.

"Do they have any idea who could've done it?" she asked as she took a small bite out of her toast, her eyes on the TV screen. "What a cute little boy…I feel sorry for his parents…" She took a sip of her coffee and rested back against the couch.

Once again he shook his head as he finished his eggs. "No clue, there's no evidence unless they find the boy," he explained. "They're sending out search teams to try and find him. The parents are a mess…they have no clue who could've done it." He picked up his toast and rest against the couch with her, his expression stern. "I feel sorry for the parents, but I feel even more sorry for the boy. What he must be going through…it's hard to be without your parents when you're seven, but it's even harder when you're kidnapped. I hope they find that jackass and kill him."

She looked at him in surprise as she finished her own eggs and took a sip of her orange juice. "Kill him? Duo, we don't even know if the boy is dead yet…" she reasoned with him before taking another sip. "How can you take a life and justify it unless the person has taken a life himself?" She calmly finished her orange juice and set the empty glass on the table.

The news broadcast switched over to another story and Duo turned to look at her. "Anybody who tries to take a child from its parents and scare them should be punished, for all we know that boy's not dead, but he's being tortured!" he exclaimed. "That's _worse_! The sick bastard should die!"

"Everyone seems to think they have the right to take a life," she stated softly, "but they don't. They can't even justify it unless the person has taken a life as well. And even then, it's barely justified. Let alone right, Duo. I agree, this is horrible. But life in prison will be worse than death anyway. Let him suffer in a jail cell. Unless they find the boy dead, that should be enough."

He shrugged and stood, taking his plate and glass over to the sink and rinsing them. "Whatever," he replied under his breath. "I'm getting dressed and going to open the shop for today, alright?" He tried his hands on his boxers and walked down the hallway to his room, shutting the door behind him.

She winced at the sound of the door clicking and looked back up at the TV screen to see the picture of the boy once more on the screen. Her heart lurched in her chest when she noticed the chestnut hair and indigo eyes. The boy looked like Duo! Telling herself she was just noticing a coincidence, she finished her coffee and took her dishes over to the sink, washing all of them at the same time and placing them in the dish drainer.

Then she walked back over and picked up the remote to turn off the TV. Before she shut it off she heard the boy's name-James Totten. The name sent shivers up her spine before she clicked the power button, turning the screen black. Rubbing her arms to warn away the sudden chill she walked down the hall and stopped at Duo's door. She knocked lightly on it. "Duo, I'm going to take a shower, okay?" she asked softly. "Then I'll be ready to work…"

"Kay."

Sighing she walked towards the bathroom, stopping at the linen closet to grab a washcloth and a towel, and then shut the door behind her. She turned on the water to let it warm up and then lifted the nightgown above her head and set it on the floor. Then she took off her underwear and ran a brush through her hair before stepping into the warm water. At first she stood there and let the comforting water run over her and then she grabbed the shampoo bottle, squirting some of it into her hands and then she spread it through her dark hair.

After she'd rinsed it out she took the conditioner and rubbed the ends of her hair with it, rinsing it out as well. Then she put a few squirts of body wash onto her washcloth, rubbing it up along her skin to cleanse it. Washing the suds off she turned off the shower and stepped out, razor and shave cream in hand. She walked over to the bathtub and turned on the water, sitting on the edge to shave her legs. Rubbing the shave cream along her legs she shaved off the skin and rinsed her legs in the water. She let the water drain out and stood to dry herself off.

Once her skin was dry she wrapped the towel around herself and she washed her face, patting her face dry with the face towel. She brushed her teeth and then took the hair dryer out from under the sink and plugged it in to the socket. Turning on the heat she began to dry her hair. When the first side was about dry a shadow caught her eye. Stopping the hairdryer, she turned to look around her, only to see nothing. Telling herself it was nothing she turned back to the mirror and turned the hairdryer back on, continuing to dry her hair. Just as she was finishing the other side the shadow caught her eye again. Her heat beat quickened and she turned once again to find nothing.

Sighing she unplugged the hairdryer and wrapped the cord around it, setting it in the cabinet under the sink. Looking once more in the mirror she turned to open the door. She gasped when she opened it. A man was standing in the doorway. He had chin-length white hair and unordinarily long ears. Each one had two hoops in them. His eyes were a bright green and almond-shaped; his skin was milky white. On each side of his face was a strange mark just under his eyes. He was wearing a forest green tunic with a navy sash and black pants. Around his slender neck was a black chain with a foreign symbol on the end.

"Does Duo Maxwell live here?" the man asked, his voice surprisingly silky and smooth. It was also much higher than a normal man's, making him sound almost womanly. Wondering whether or not this was truly a man, she stepped back into the bathroom, her hand on her chest. "It's very important."

Flustered, she looked around her. "Y-yes, he lives here," she replied unsurely. "What do you want? He must've already gone to work…if he didn't hear you knock, I mean…" The man grinned and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him. Once she was out in the hallway he let go and shut the bathroom door. "What do you-"

"So _you're_ his mate…" he murmured, his voice sounding almost like a growl as he walked around her. "Not a bad choice…for an human I mean…" He reached out and pulled away the towel, fully exposing her body to his eyes. She covered herself as best she could, making him chuckle. His hands pulled her arms to her sides, allowing his eyes to wander over her. "Yes…very nice…" His green eyes had an almost hungry look to them, making her very nervous.

Her body tensed in fear with thoughts of what she didn't want to happen running through her mind. "Human? Y-you mean…you're not…human?" she asked weakly, trying to keep conversation going between them.

He looked up at her and released her arms, allowing her to pick up the towel and wrap it back around herself. "Human? Ha! Hardly," he replied shortly. "So, what is your name, human?" The look in his eyes was still very hungry and she couldn't take her eyes away from his, they seemed almost hypnotic when he looked like that. "Don't worry, I won't force you," he told her, almost as if he could read her thoughts.

Surprised at his last statement she had to concentrate in order to tell him her name. "Hilde, Hilde Schbeiker," she said, her tone very quiet and meek. "What's your name, if you don't mind me asking that is…" Anything to keep him from getting offended or angry. Anything.

"My name?" he asked and cocked an eyebrow; the expression was very attractive, she noticed. "You can call me Gas'la, that's a close as you can get to the real thing in this language of yours." He blinked dramatically and turned away from her, looking around him. "Do you humans always dress like that?" he asked, changing the subject. "I know the males do not, but you seem to barely cover yourself…" He turned back around to look at her again.

Looking down at the towel she blushed, shaking her head. "N-no…we normally cover more…" she tried to explain. "I was just going to get dressed when you stopped me in the doorway…you see, the clothes are in my room…"

He looked her up and down, then grinned. "I see. I would like to see your room, Hilde Schbeiker," he told her honestly. "That is, if you don't mind directing me…I'll find it either way." When he said the last phrase her breath caught in her throat. This made his grin wider. "Do I frighten you, Hilde Schbeiker?"

"J-just call me Hilde, it's easier," she offered as she walked slowly towards her room, opening the door and entering. "If you wouldn't mind, I prefer to change in private…" He nodded and she smiled slightly, closing the door behind her. She hurried into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and then opened it again. "Well, this is my room…"

Gas'la looked in through the doorway, his eyes seeming to take in every detail. He rubbed his fingers along the doorframe thoughtfully. "It's a very nice room," he commented. "Very nice…" Suddenly he stood upright and looked around him. "Looks like Duo Maxwell is home…" he explained, looking at her with a grin. "This will be interesting…I'll be here, so don't mention me." His last command seemed almost threatening and she found her heart beating faster.

She heard the door open and someone enter. "Hilde, what's taking you so long?!" Duo's voice cried down to her and she smiled with relief. He was there now, she was no longer alone with the strange man. "Hilde?!" She could hear him walking towards her. "C'mon, Hilde! We've got a business to run!" Once he saw her he stopped and put his hands on his hips. "What took you so long, Hilde? I've been waiting for you."

Tears of gratitude were forming in her eyes. "Nothing, I just got caught up in the warmth of the water in the shower…I'm sorry…" she apologized, steering around Gas'la. "I'm ready now, just let me grab the books, okay?" He sighed in exasperation as she walked over to get the books off of the shelf. Once she was ready she laced her arm through his and smiled. "You okay, Duo?" she asked suddenly as she closed the door behind them. "You seem kinda moody today…" She frowned thoughtfully. "Is it something I did?"

"No! It's nothing," he replied and smiled. "I'm just thinking about that boy that was kidnapped… this one really got to me, I don't know why…" He shook his head. "Maybe it's that they think all the kidnappings have been done by one person. Since they're all male with brown hair and blue eyes. Patterns, ya' know?"

She nodded as they entered the small building out front of the junk yard. "If that's all that's bothering you…" she replied softly. "You just seem upset with me today…is it about the kidnapper getting the death penalty?"

Duo turned and looked at her. "Of course not. I'm not _that_ stuck on it, Hilde, you worry too much," he assured her. "I'm going out to the lot. Hope we get a lot of costumers today, don't you?" He smiled and gave her the thumbs up sign, and then he headed out the door. As soon as he'd left Gas'la appeared in front of her again, a sneer on his face.

"Thank you for your cooperation," he said softly, lifting her chin so his lips her inches from hers. "Hilde Schbeiker…the chosen mate of Duo Maxwell…how very interesting…" Then he kissed her. Their lips touched for only a second, but it was enough to make her heart beat quicken and her whole body tense. When he let her go she pulled away and put her fingers to her lips. "You do taste good…I wonder if that's what he finds to interesting…" he commented.

She glared at him. "What do you mean?" she asked shortly. "And, if you're not human, then what are you?"

Gas'la sneered at her and crossed his arms over his chest. "What I mean, is that he might be attracted to you for your taste," he explained. "Or, is there something else I wonder…" His eyes flicked quickly along her body. "As for what I am, I can't tell you that, Hilde Schbeiker."

Hilde felt anger rise up within her. "Duo's not that shallow!" she retorted, her eyes spitting fire. "He may seem that way, but he's much deeper than that." She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him. "And, I told you, call me Hilde. It's much easier." With that said she turned around, facing her back towards him.

"Is he really not that shallow? How do you know he's not lying?" he asked softly as he came up behind her, his breath tickling her ear. He wrapped his arms around her waist without making and effort to pull her towards him. "Hilde Schbeiker. I like the full version much better."

She pulled out of his embrace and stared at him with a mix of contempt, surprise, and anger. "Don't touch me! I belong to Duo, not to you!" she cried, wrapping her arms around herself. "I will always be Duo's…always… As for how I know he's not that shallow, after living with him for three years, two non-stop, you learn a few things about a guy!" She was slowly backing away from him, moving towards the door.

Seeing this, Gas'la moved in front of her and grinned a taunting grin. Making her blood boil with the sarcastic look in his eyes. "How much do you know about him, Hilde Schbeiker?" he asked simply, blocking each move she made. "Do you know his birthday? What happened to his parents? Why he wanted to leave last night? How old he is? Whether he's really human or not? His favorite color? Boxers or briefs? How he likes his toast? Tell me, Hilde Schbeiker, how well do you _really_ know him? After three years, how well do you know him?"

"How did you-"

"How did I know? I know more about him than you do. Do you know what he's doing at this very moment?" he asked simply, crossing his arms behind his back.

"N-no, but…"

He grinned, this time revealing perfectly white teeth. "He's spinning a wrench around his right pointer finger…and thinking about…you, actually. Feel flattered?" he told her casually. "As for his birthday, I'm sure you know that one. What happened to his parents, to the extent that you know, is true, but very vague. Yes, he is a war orphan. His mother was brutally murdered protecting him and his father was blown up with the rest of their apartment building. Duo was the only survivor, mainly because his mother's body acted as a shield. I bet you're just dying to know why he wanted to leave last night. You saw him cry. He hates pity, simply because everyone that gave him that look eventually died. His age, 18. Is he human or not? That's a good question, now isn't it?" He sneered then, making her body rigid with anger. "Favorite color-black. Nice and depressing isn't it? He's not as happy as he seems… Duo wears boxers because briefs are too tight. And he likes his toast dark brown with a lots of butter and grape jelly."

Hilde's eyes were wide with surprise. "B-but…he never told me…he said he never told anyone…" she stuttered. "Did he tell you about his parents? Or why he wanted to leave? And what's with the question about his humanity?"

"He didn't have to tell me anything, Hilde Schbeiker, not a thing," he replied. "I knew all of that off the top of my head. And to think, I've never even met the guy. I didn't know he had a braid…still, at least. I know about Sister Helen though. She was very pretty, he thought so too. Pity she had to die on him, isn't it?"

She sat down in a chair and stared up at him in shock. "Sister Helen?" she asked simply. "Who's Sister Helen? Died on him?"

Gas'la started to laugh at her question. "He never even told you about _her_?! I'm surprised!" he exclaimed. "Then again, maybe he thought you'd get jealous or something. You see, after his parents were killed we became a member of a gang run by a man named Solo. Unfortunately, Solo died and he named himself Duo, claiming that together he and Solo would be Duo. Then he became the leader of the gang until he was taken in by the Maxwell Church. Father Maxwell was the residing priest and Sister Helen was a beautiful young nun. When she tried to cut his hair he wouldn't let her, so she braided it. He liked it so much I suppose he's done it ever since. The Prevention Army came and destroyed the church, killing Father Maxwell and Sister Helen."

"I had no idea…" she muttered in shock. "He never told me any of this…but, wait, how do I know you're not lying to me?" She stood up, suddenly feeling strong again.

He grinned. "If you can talk it out of him, you'll find it's the truth, Hilde Schbeiker," he told her seriously. "I wouldn't lie to someone like you." He sighed and looked out in the direction of the junk yard. "I don't think he would either, to tell you the truth…he's not that kind of person…" His expression turned almost wistful, making her nervous.

"Someone like me? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Never mind that, Hilde Schbeiker," he replied simply, turning back to look at her. "I must go. You can't mention me to him, understand? I'll know if you do, and I won't be happy. And, trust me, you want me to be happy."

Hilde nodded mutely, thoughts of what he could do if he were angry running across her mind.

Gas'la nodded then and blew her a kiss. "Later, Hilde Schbeiker," he stated before he disappeared. She looked around for him, only to find that he was truly gone. Looking out into the junk yard and then out the entrance, she found him nowhere.

"Gas'la?" she asked, testing whether or not he was just not visible. When no one answered she believed he was truly gone. 'Who was he? Very strange…not human, does that mean he's neither male nor female?' she wondered as Duo came skipping in through the door.

"Hey, Hilde! I just got a _big_ sale!" he cried happily. "A thousand dollars worth of stuff! Ready to right it down?!" His grin was so wide and boyish she had to giggle, a grin of her own spreading across her face. "I say we celebrate with lunch! It's on me!" he said, doing a little dance. "A thousand dollars, Hilde! A _thousand_!!"

She picked up the pencil and opened the book. "Ready when you are, braid-boy," she replied with a wink. "After this we go to lunch, kay?" He could be so cute when he was excited or happy. She just wanted to hug him.

Duo took a deep breath and calmed down slightly; enough to give her the list of merchandise purchased by a rich collector visiting L2. Then they were off to lunch, arm-in-arm with wide smiles on their faces. Hilde decided to not worry about the strange Gas'la incident for the rest of the day. As long as she was with Duo there was nothing to worry about. Plus, they were a thousand dollars richer!


	3. Ch 3

Note: This chapter has some definite sensuality, Hilde just gets all the attention, doesn't she…so, I'm warning you right now. No lemons or limes, but there are some romantic scenes. Just the kind I like.

Ch. 3-Possession

Hilde looked out the window from the kitchen counter, her head resting in the palm of her hand. Duo had gone out an hour ago to meet up with Heero and the other Gundam pilots; most likely to discuss the kidnappings, since he was a volunteer Preventer with the rest of them. She'd been worried at first, but so far there wasn't a sign of Gas'la anywhere.

Trailing her finger along the smooth surface of the counter her mind began to wander. All the things Duo had never told her ran through her mind. The truth about his parents and the Maxwell Church incident. Both were so horrible she couldn't imagine his pain, the way it must ache inside of him everyday. Had she not been worthy of knowing such dark secrets? Or did they hurt too much to talk about? Hoping it was the latter she stood and walked over to the refrigerator.

Opening the door she took out a pitcher of iced tea and poured a glass, cutting a lemon wedge and sticking it on the edge. After she'd taken a sip she turned back towards the counter to find Gas'la sitting there with his legs crossed, a grin on his face.

"Why hello, Hilde Schbeiker," he greeted, his tone oily. "Has Duo Maxwell left you again? What a pity…" He slid off the counter, standing right in front of her and causing her to look up at him. "Guess we can just have another one of our talks, ne?" He gracefully took the glass from her hands and set it on the counter behind him, his eyes never leaving hers.

She shook her head and tried to walk around him, but he wrapped an arm around her waist and held her in place. "Please, let me go," she begged him, looking back at him with pleading eyes. "I don't even know what you want with Duo…or me…so just leave."

"Don't you want to find out?" he asked, pulling her so close to them that she could feel his cold skin against her body. The touch made her quiver, chills traveling up and down her spine. "I'll tell you eventually…Hilde Schbeiker…" He ran his fingers along her facial features slowly, bringing the goosebumps out along her skin. If his skin was cold, his fingers were even worse; cold and clammy, feeling almost like he was dead. The thought made her jump slightly as she moved her face away from his eerie fingers. "What's wrong?" he asked simply. "You don't like my touch? Funny…you like his…"

Pulling away from him determinedly, she glared at him. "I'm in love with Duo, it's different," she told him harshly. "Besides, his hands aren't so…cold…" She covered her cheeks with her hands, trying to warm them up, but the cold wouldn't go away. He sneered at her action and her body went rigid. "What do you want with me?"

Gas'la rested his hands on the counter behind him and looked at her casually. "With you? Well, that's very different from what I want from Duo Maxwell…" he said easily, tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling. "A matter fact, this wasn't in the plan at all, feel honored, Hilde Schbeiker." He looked back down at her, his eyes taking on that hungry look again. "I hadn't realized he'd picked such a delicious looking mate…"

"Delicious? Mate?" she asked, slowly backing away from him. "Are you…going to…eat me?" She tried desperately to leave the kitchen, only to have him appear behind her and rest his hands on her shoulders. The touch made her turn to see him there, her eyes wide with surprise. "Gas'la…let me go…" she meekly demanded.

He chuckled at her words as he brushed her hair behind her ear. "Not eat you, my dear Hilde Schbeiker…" he informed her darkly. "Though, you look about the right age physically…to do something else for me…" Then he kissed her, not lightly like the day before, but deep and passionately. The kiss took her breath away and by the time he pulled away she felt faint from loss of air. "Though we don't do things the same way…I think I know a way…"

"To do what?" she asked weakly, trying to stand without his support.

Grabbing both of her wrists he picked her up and laid her down on the counter. The look in his eyes was stronger than ever and the sneer playing on his lips made her tense with fear. "We can just do it your way…since I can change my body to a more human shape," he thought out loud, his voice now slightly husky.

'Oh no! God, no, don't let this happen to me! Please!' she begged when she noticed what exactly was happening and how out of her control it was. "Don't touch me! Leave me alone!" she cried, trying to wiggle out of his grasp, but he held on tight to her wrists.

"Why? You should feel honored, I normally don't use humans for this," he replied and then kissed her deeply and passionately. "You're a first, this should be interesting…"

She continued to struggle, wriggling away from him only to be pulled back into position. He looked at her wonderingly, as if trying to figure out how it would work. Finally deciding, he started to remove her shirt, exposing her bra to his eyes. He fingered the strap in awe, studying every detail of it. "Please…no…I'm not ready for this kind of thing…" she cried, punching his chest desperately, only to have it have no affect on him.

Suddenly his eyes went wide and he grimaced. "Dammit, that Duo Maxwell is back," he stated angrily, his lip curling up into almost a snarl. "Fine, I'll leave for now. I'll be back at a more convenient time; I can't wait to get this job finished." He got off of her and stood by the counter as she sat up to look at him in shock. Just as he was turning to go he stopped and turned back with a grin. "Oh, and don't tell anyone about this. Remember, you mention me at all and I'll be very angry."

As he disappeared she slid off the counter and re-buttoned the first three buttons on her shirt. Just then the door opened and Duo walked in casually, looking around him and sniffing the air. Then he saw her and grinned. "Now, Hilde, I'm disappointed," he stated jokingly. "I thought you'd be fixing one of your delicious dinners."

Without thinking she ran over and threw her arms around his neck, so grateful for his sudden presence and the comfort of his body. 'Oh, Duo, thank God for you…' she thought. Shocked it took him a moment to hold her back, but then he picked her up off the ground and twirled her around. "Duo! Stop! I'm getting dizzy!" she giggled, kissing his cheek. Once he set her down she smiled and brushed some hair behind her ears. "Glad you're home," she said happily. "I thought I'd wait to see what you wanted to eat…" She hated having to hide it from him, but she was afraid if she didn't she'd lose him. That feeling made a pit form in her stomach.

"Gee, Hilde, I dunno…how about some of that 'meatloaf' or whatever you call it," he replied, scratching the back of his head in thought. "I'm hungry right now, so whatever doesn't take long." He walked over and flopped down on the couch. "Oh, and a soda would be nice too…"

She put her fists on her hips and she glared over at him as he turned on the TV. "Am I your slave or your girlfriend, Duo?" she asked with mock anger. When he didn't answer she sighed and dropped her arms to her sides in retreat. "Fine, what kind of soda do you want?"

"Whatever you grab first," he answered simply. "They found the first boy that disappeared." He paused and then his eyes narrowed angrily. "He was mutilated and dropped in a river. What is with these guys and rivers?" He sighed as she handed him the soda and he opened it. "There were no clothes on his body, but he doesn't seem to have been sexually abused. Odd…" He took a sip. "You still think this guy should live?"

"I don't know, Duo," she replied honestly as she walked back over to the kitchen to start making the meatloaf. "Anything interesting come up when you were with the other pilots?" She concentrated on making the meal while he blabbed on and on about Heero still being dead-beat and Wufei still calling him 'weakling' all the time. He didn't mention any missions, which made her feel more at ease. That meant he wouldn't be leaving for long periods of time, leaving Gas'la less to time to get his 'job' done. After she'd put the loaf into the oven she walked over and sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you…" she whispered.

Duo looked down at her, his eyes slightly wide. "Where'd that come from?" he asked, a slight tinge of surprise evident in his voice. She looked back up at him, her eyes meeting with his and a little grin crossing her lips.

"I just felt like saying it," she told him honestly and then gave him a quick peck on the lips. Just as she was starting to pull away he grabbed her arm and looked into her eyes, his gaze intense. She felt like he could see right through her; the thought made her stop in her tracks to stare back at him. "Duo, is something wrong?" she asked.

A grin pulled slightly at the corner of his mouth as he pulled her back towards him again. "That wasn't a kiss," he stated simply and then kissed her intensely. Shocked at first, Hilde froze, unable to move or think. But then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. When she felt his mouth open slightly she took the cue and slipped her tongue into his mouth. Inside the warm cavity of his mouth, her tongue met his. She could taste him, and she liked it. It was Duo.

Pulled in by the passion, Duo slowly pushed her down onto the couch. When they pulled away she found herself opening her eyes only to look up at him. "Hey, Hilde," he greeted jokingly just before he pulled in for another kiss. The position made her slightly nervous, but she kissed him back, this time allowing his tongue to taste her. He briskly ran his hands down along her tiny frame and then the landed back up at her shoulders just before he pulled away again. The passionate kiss had left him slightly out of breath as he looked down at her again.

He gently brushed her bangs out of her eyes and grinned. "You're beautiful," he told her matter-of-factly. "Did you know that?" His voice had gone suddenly soft and gentle, and she almost didn't recognize it as his.

His words made her heart flutter in her chest and she could feel her cheeks warming. She simply shook her head, an embarrassed smile on her face. "N-no…nobody's ever told me that before…" she replied quietly. Trying to calm her down, Duo gave her a quick peck on the lips and another on her nose. That made her giggle, breaking the tight feeling in her chest.

"Well, you are," he stated once more before he kissed her again. This kiss was even more passionate than before, taking more of her breath away. It lasted a long time; they only paused a few seconds for breath. Tongue played with tongue, hands wandered along the curves of the other's body. Sparks were flying beneath each touch, their passion growing.

Without thinking, Duo's hands gently inched her shirt up. A little farther each time until it was stuck under her armpits. She lifted her arms above her head, allowing him to pull it away from her and expose her skin. Wandering at its perfection, he trailed a hand down along her stomach before he continued the kiss her. He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other rested in the curve of her neck, supporting him above her.

She kept both hands up on his shoulder blades, but her fingers slowly bunched up the fabric of his t-shirt until it all rested under them. He paused for a short moment, allowing her to completely remove the fabric. Gazing at his chest, she flicked her gaze back up to his face. Sure, she had seen it before, but never like this, it never made her feel like this. She ran her hands down his back slowly, rubbing them along his smooth, warm skin. Then, she kissed him again, pulling him even closer to her, not wanting to let him go.

He moved his lips from hers and down to her neck, giving short pecks along the smooth skin and creating a trail down to her shoulder. Taking a leap of courage, he slowly moved his lips down to her collar bone and nibbled slightly on it, making her giggle. "Does it tickle?" he asked, his voice soft but husky with the passion flowing through his veins.

Hilde nodded and then sighed slightly as his lips continued down to the valley in between her breasts. Once his lips touched the delicate skin she felt herself push up slightly from the couch, a slight moan coming from deep in her throat. She had never felt this before, this burning passion that was raging through her body. It was going so slow, it was almost painful.

When Duo heard the sound he stopped and looked up at her. Her expression frightened him. What was he doing to her? She had wanted to wait, hadn't she? Remembering this, he started to pull away, only to have her pull him back to her. "Duo, it's okay…" she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. That simple action alone made him close his eyes to block away the pleasure. "I want to do this too…" Her voice was so soft, so soothing. She saw his closed eyes and giggled. "Do you like that?"

He opened those beautiful indigo eyes of his and grinned his careless, reckless grin, the one that made her heart skip a beat. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked jokingly, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "I'm afraid I'll keep that one a secret."

She pouted, jutting out her lower lip and making fake tears form in her eyes. "You're mean," she replied in a very convincing tone. This made him grin before he kissed her again.

"Stop pouting, Hilde," he scolded and kissed her neck. The touch was feather light at first and then he bit slightly on the skin, sucking to bring the blood to the surface. The sensation was new to her and it made her heart race as her skin warmed under his lips. When he pulled away, ever so slowly, he looked at her and smiled. "You liked that, huh," he stated and gave her a peck on the lips. "It'll be sore tomorrow, just to warn you."

Hilde grinned and stroked the mark with her finger. "Whether or not I liked it will remain a secret," she told him. "Until you tell me yours, I won't tell you mine."

He narrowed his eyes and brushed his bangs out of his face. "Fine, be that way," he replied with mock anger before he bent down to kiss her again. The kiss was full of fire and passion as their hands ran along each other's bodies, taking in every sensation, every touch. When they pulled away he looked at her with question in his eyes. "Are you sure about this, Hilde?" he asked gently. "We don't have to…you have to decide now. If we take this any farther…I won't be able to stop."

It took her only a second to decide. This burning desire was in her stomach and slowly consuming her. She knew the only way to make it go away was to fulfill it. "Yes, Duo, I'm sure," she said, no nervousness in her voice. "I'm ready…"

This answer made him smile, thankful she had said yes. He wasn't sure if he could've stopped then either. Slowly he pulled himself down so that his head was just above her chest, then he moved to kiss her stomach. Each kiss was feather light as he made a trail down to her belly button, tickling it with his tongue. When she giggled he felt the movement under his lips and smiled. She tasted so good, he had to have more. More of her. Looking up one more time to make sure it was okay, he unbuttoned her jeans and pulled down the zipper.

Knowing what he was doing, Hilde moaned slightly and closed her eyes. She was ready for this moment, for this moment with Duo. It couldn't be with anybody else.

Then, just before he could pull her jeans down, the timer went off. Beeping its loud shrill beep and shattering the moment in a matter of seconds. Hilde sat up and looked over at the stove and then back at Duo. His expression was one of intense disappointment, and it only got more intense when she stood up and re-fastened her jeans. "Hilde…" he whined, his eyes pleading her.

But, it was no use, the moment was gone. Over. The passion had dissipated with the beeping that was still ringing in his ears as he watched her pull her shirt back over her head to cover the bare skin his lips had touched only moments before. "Time for dinner, Duo," she stated as she fixed her hair and turned to look at him. "Your favorite; meatloaf." Then she walked over to turn off the timer and take out the meatloaf, resting it on the stovetop so she could slice off pieces for both of them.

Knowing he had been beaten, he stood and sighed, picking up his shirt and putting it back on as well. Then he flopped back down on the couch and looked over at her, watching as she put two thick slices on his plate and one on hers. She poured two glasses of Pepsi and then brought it over, setting one in front of him and the other next to it.

"Duo, are you okay?" she asked as she sat down next to him. He took a bite of the meatloaf and didn't reply, his eyes gazing at the empty TV screen. "Duo…?" She placed a hand on his arm gently.

He sighed and rested back against the couch, his hands propped up behind his head. "I'm okay, it's that damn timer that's the problem," he answered, looking over at her. "I was really in the mood, Hilde." His honesty made her eyes widen slightly. "Don't look so surprised. I warned you about that."

She looked down at her untouched plate and picked up the fork, still having no want to bite into the loaf. "I'm sorry, if I hadn't felt so strange…I would've stopped it…" she told him. "I just felt like it was the time, but it obviously wasn't. I'm glad it didn't happen, I'd feel so stupid." She shook her head and finally took a bite. After she had finished chewing and swallowing it she looked back over at him. "I'd just never felt that way before, I didn't know what to do."

Duo nodded and sat forward again, taking another bite out of his meatloaf. "In that case, I'm glad it didn't happen either. If you weren't ready, you weren't ready," he replied and shrugged. "It's worth the wait, and since I'm with you, I can wait too." He grinned before he took another bite.

"Thanks, Duo," she said and picked up the remote to turn on the TV. "Wanna watch some news?" She turned on the TV and the screen came to life. "Another one of the missing boys found. The twelve-year-old one…he was nude but…doesn't seem to have been sexually assaulted. That's very strange." She narrowed her eyes as she tried to contemplated the facts. "First we have a line of missing boys from ages five to eighteen, and now we start finding them all in a row. This one was found in a creek." She sighed and took another bite. "It's too strange…"

"They're also appearing in the order they were taken in," Duo piped in as he finished his first slice and took a sip of his Pepsi. "This guy really wants to freak us out, doesn't he?" He took another bite of his meatloaf. "They have no suspects, no forensic evidence to go on. Isn't that strange?"

"That's impossible. How can somebody leave no forensic evidence? It doesn't make any sense!" Hilde explained before she took a sip of her Pepsi. "They don't even know the cause of the death. What ever it was, it wasn't physical. There were no marks on the body aside from the ones that had been on them before they were kidnapped."

Duo shrugged. "Whoever this killer is, he isn't human. He can't be." Those words made Hilde stop her fork in mid-air as Gas'la ran through her mind. The killer wasn't human? Gas'la definitely wasn't, and he was definitely dangerous. The thought of him being the killer made her quiver slightly. He had been so close to her earlier in the day. Then another thought struck her. All the missing boys had brown hair and indigo eyes. Duo. Was that why Gas'la was here? To kill him? "Hey, Hilde, you okay?"

His voice broke into her thoughts and she finished bringing the meatloaf to her mouth. "I-I'm fine," she responded shakily and put her fork down on her plate; she had lost her appetite. "Are you finished? I'm gonna go wash the dishes…" He nodded and she took his plate, heading towards the kitchen.

She washed the dishes by hand, her mind wandering over the memories of the boys' disappearances and Gas'la. Then Duo came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her slim waist, making her jump in surprise. "Hilde, are you sure you're okay?" he asked right into her ear. She turned around and saw that it was him. Grateful, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Don't do that, you startled me," she scolded, resting her head in the crook between his neck and his shoulder. Thank God he hadn't disappeared. Gas'la hadn't gotten to him yet. He was still there, she could still touch him, hold him.

"I'm not dying, Hilde," he stated in surprise, stroking her back with one hand. "Calm down…you don't have to hold me so tight…I'm not going anywhere…" He kissed her hair and smoothed it down with his unoccupied hand. "I'm not going anywhere…it's okay…" His voice was deathly quiet and soothing as he rocked her back and forth in his arms. "It's okay…"

A tear slid down her cheek as he held her tight. If only she could tell him. But, she couldn't, she didn't want Gas'la angry. If he was angry he might kill Duo. That thought made another tear slide down, following its companion. She tried to keep the tears in, to keep them silent so that Duo wouldn't worry. But, like before, the dam burst and she began to sob on his shoulder, her shoulders heaving with the tears. "I just don't want to lose you," she told him between sobs.

"Hilde, what are you talking about?" he asked, his expression full of worry. "You won't ever lose me. I won't leave you, I promise." He pulled her away and looked into her tear streaked face, wiping a stray tear out from under her eye with his finger. "Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."

She laughed slightly and wiped her eyes with her fists. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm such a mess," she told him, laughing at herself for her emotional breakdown. "I don't have a reason to, do I?" She turned back to the sink and finished washing the plates; then dried them with the towel and put them back in the cabinet.

When she turned back around she saw Duo still standing against the counter, watching her. His eyes were very intent and she felt like he could see through her once more. "Duo, what is it?" she asked timidly. "I told you, I'm fine." She wiped her wet hands on her jeans and started to walk out of the kitchen.

"You don't look fine," he responded as he caught hold of her arm. "Something's wrong, and you're not telling me…" His expression was a mixture of accusation and hurt, making a lump form in her throat. Trying to force it down, she pulled out of his grasp and looked away, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Hilde, I want you to trust me. You can tell me anything." His tone was begging now, making the lump bigger in her throat.

Trying to keep her voice steady, she avoided his eyes. "I know that, but this is something I can't tell you," she explained quietly. "I want to, but it would only hurt you. I-I'm sorry." With that she hurried out of the kitchen and down the hall to her room, shutting the door behind her. Her breath was coming out in choked sobs as she tried to keep the tears in once more. She was getting bad at it now, the holding back emotions thing. They came pouring out again and she threw herself on the bed, stuffing her head in the pillow to stifle the sound. The last thing Duo needed now was to hear her crying. She had worried him enough.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder she stopped sobbing for a second, thinking and hoping it was Duo she pulled her head out of her pillow only to look into the bright green eyes that belonged to only Gas'la. She tensed at the sight of him and sat up, clutching onto the pillow. "You were crying," he stated simply, reaching out his fingers to touch the still clinging tears. "Humans are strange…" He lifted his finger to his lips and tasted the salty tears. "They can be so emotional…" He flicked his eyes up from where they had been focused on his finger. "But, you've been a good girl. Remember, you want to keep me happy, Hilde Schbeiker."

"You're the one who killed those boys," she stated accusingly and backed away from him against the wall at the end of her bed. "Are you here to kill Duo?" Her voice was shaking in fear and she knew he could see her body quivering. "I won't let you kill him."

Gas'la chuckled slightly and leaned in closer to her. "I won't kill him, if he follows directions. And, if he's truly what I'm looking for," he told her, his voice icy cold. "And, you couldn't stop me from killing him, he'd die from the process if he were human." This made her eyes go wide and he sneered at her surprised expression. "Don't look so surprised. I'm here on a mission, and that's to awaken him."

"Awaken him?" she asked. "W-what do you mean by that?"

The door opened behind him and he froze, his eyes looking behind him to find the braided American standing in the doorway. "Looks like we'll find out soon enough, won't we?" he replied, his voice sharp as a dagger.


	4. Ch 4

Note: Alright, Gas'la is very weird…^ ^() If you don't like homosexuality DON'T READ THIS! He definitely shows some hints of it. Just a little warning. And, at the end there is a LEMON/LIME scene. I'm not sure which one, but if you will take offense DON'T READ!

Ch. 4-Nightmares

"Hilde, what's going on? Who's this guy?" Duo asked. His voice sounded full of hurt and confusion, his gaze studying both Gas'la and the situation. Gas'la sat back on the bed and turned his head to look at Duo, letting his eyes wander along Duo's body, studying every inch of him. This made Duo a little uneasy and he found himself backing slowly outside the room.

Gas'la's mouth slowly formed a smile, which looked more like a sneer the way it pulled at only one corner of his mouth and the way his delicate eyebrows pulled together. "Why hello, Duo Maxwell," he greeted with mock properness, his voice icy under the surface. "I had higher expectations, but you'll do." With that said he stood and walked over to him, placing a hand on his cheek and looking into his indigo eyes. "Do you know who I am?" The question was mocking, making Hilde tense behind him.

Duo turned away from Gas'la's touch, staring at Hilde. "What were you doing to her?" he asked, his voice turning deathly cold and completely ignoring his question. "If you so much as touch her, I'll-"

"Kill me?" he butted in with that grin of his. "I don't doubt that you'd try, Duo Maxwell, but whether or not you'd succeed is still in question. Funny…how a face so beautiful could let itself become human…love a human…" His fingers were trailing along Duo's face with the wistful look once more in his green eyes.

Once again Duo tried to escape his touch with a grimace on his face. "What are you talking about?" he scoffed. "I know I'm attractive and all…but…aren't you a guy?" The thought alone was making him sick. He slowly tried to move over closer to Hilde, but Gas'la stood in the way.

"What am I?" he asked mockingly. "Male or female? Or…am I both?" With that he wrapped his arms around Duo's neck. "I hope you're the one…I like you…" His lips were dangerously close to Duo's when he whispered this and Hilde could see Duo tensing and trying to pull his face away. Hilde grabbed Gas'la around the waist and pulled him away and down to the floor.

Then she dived into Duo's arms, resting her head on her chest. "Thanks, Hilde," he muttered. "That guy was really gonna kiss me…" He kissed her hair and then tipped her head up to kiss her.

Gas'la stared up at them from the ground, surprised that she had managed to catch him off guard. Seeing him about to kiss her, his blood boiled and he stood, ripping her away from him. "Duo Maxwell, you will listen to me," he stated, wrapping his arms possessively around Hilde. "This human is not worthy of you. I will awaken you, but not here. Not now. I will come for you later. Until then, you can have your human." He grabbed her chin and forced her face up, then kissed her. His tongue pushed into her mouth and then pulled out as he broke it off. With a sneer on his lips he disappeared, causing Hilde to fall to the floor.

"Hilde!" Duo exclaimed and ran over to her, wrapping her in his arms. "What was he doing to you? Who is he? What did he want?" He smoothed her hair and ran his hands down her back, making sure she was still with him.

Her chest was heaving with heavy breath and her heart was pounding unnaturally fast in her chest. Trying to catch her breath, she hugged Duo close to her and closed her eyes. She had been so afraid he would take him from her, in front of her eyes, and she'd have been helpless to stop it. Finally her breathing started to return to normal and she could speak, even though her heart was still pounding in her ears. "H-his name is Gas'la," she told him, still short on breath. "He's the killer of those boys…I don't know what he wants…"

"Calm down, Hilde, it's okay…" he soothed, rocking her back and forth in his arms. "He's gone now…he's gone…" He kissed the top of her head again and tilted her head so that he could look into her eyes. "Are you okay? You're breathing awfully hard…"

She nodded and took in a deep breath, filling her lungs to capacity, but her gasping didn't stop and neither did the pounding of her heart in her ears. "I-I'm fine…" she told him, trying to hid her discomfort. "I'm just glad I didn't loose you." She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, brushing the bangs out of his eyes. Blackness was starting to form in the corners of her eyes and she blinked, trying to clear it away, but it was persistent.

"Is this what you were talking about before?" he asked, searching her face with his eyes. Her skin was getting paler and he could feel her weakening in his arms. "Hilde? Are you sure you're okay? Hilde?" Then she passed out in his arms, going suddenly limp, her eyes closing. "Hilde? Hilde?!" he exclaimed and held her close to him. "Come on, Hilde, wake up! Wake up!"

He stood with her limp form in his hands and then carried her over to the bed, laying her down on the soft mattress with the pillow beneath her head. Worried, he checked her pulse and found a slight one beating beneath the surface. He sighed in relief and then sat down on the floor next to the bed, taking her limp hand in his. Bringing it to his lips he kissed it and held it against his cheek. "C'mon, Hilde, wake up…" he whispered. "I need you to wake up…"

There was no response from her body at his touch or his words. Instead she lay, unmoving, on the bed. Deciding he wasn't going to leave her, he settle down for the wait, his eyes never leaving her.

It was dark. Very dark. At first. She couldn't see anything. There was silence too. Lots of it. Nothing filled her ears. Nothing. It was dark and quiet. She couldn't tell if she was awake or asleep, all she knew was that there was nothing around her. And it scared her. She tried to reach out, just to see if there was anything there to touch. But she couldn't move. Or was it just that she had no limbs to move? Was she dead? No…she couldn't be dead. It didn't feel like death at least.

Then a light started. At first it was just the size of a pinpoint and she had to squint to see it. At least, she thought she was squinting, she wasn't sure. Then, slowly, it began to get bigger, until it was the size of a pin-pong ball. She wanted to touch it, but couldn't move. Was she even breathing? Yes, she could hear it now. Her breathing was echoing in the blackness around her. The light expanded more and more, centimeter by centimeter, until it reached the size of a small bouncing ball. Now it was bright and she had to close her eyes to block out the pain caused by the light.

Heat was coming from the light. She could feel it on her face and skin. She opened her eyes again in wonder of the light. It was even bigger than before, but she was getting used to the brightness of it. The warmth was captivating, making her almost smile. She had to touch it, that much she knew. Trying once more, she saw her hand reach out slowly and touch the warm light, only to find it a solid substance under her fingertips. Shocked, she moved her hand away and stared at it. Each of her movements was slow and dreamlike.

Then she looked down at herself to find herself standing, completely nude, in front of the light. But, the fact didn't bother her. Instead, she smiled and reached out again to touch the light. It had gotten bigger still and she could feel the smooth surface underneath the light. She placed her other hand on the other side of the light so that she was holding it in her grasp. Warmth flooded her body and she closed her eyes happily. She was safe.

She could suddenly feel something traveling up her back, making her skin prickle and her whole body tense. The warmth was fading away, but the light remained. Confused, she tried to turn to see what was touching her, only to find that she was stuck in place, unable to move. This thought alone made her panicked, her eyes widening in fear. Something was wrapping around her neck slowly. It was smooth, damp, and clammy. Definitely not human.

She wanted to lift her hands up to her neck to push it away, but they were stuck to the light and it wasn't letting them go. Whatever was touching her neck was wrapping around tighter, making it harder for her to breathe. She was trying to gasp for breath, but she couldn't open her mouth. Her lungs were begging for air, but they couldn't get it.

Then, she was falling, the light slowly being pulled from her vision. She tried to scream, but no sound escaped when she could finally open her mouth. The scenery around her slowly faded into crimson and then she landed harshly on a cold damp surface. Whatever had been around her neck was no longer there and she brought her hand up to touch where it had grabbed her. Something slippery and wet met her palm and when she pulled it away she saw blood dripping from it. Panic filled her and her heart beat quickened, pulsing in her ears.

In front of her was an upside down cross, blood dripping from the ends into a shallow pool. All the walls were draped in crimson and when she reached out to touch one she found that they turned liquidy at the touch, looking like blood. Scared, she pulled her hand away and held it to her chest. Tightness formed in the center of her chest and suddenly she couldn't breathe. Gasping for breath she reached her hands up to her throat, only to feel the blood dripping down her neck.

Two shadowy figures appeared on either side of the upside down cross, draped in cloaks. She stared at them, pleading for help with her eyes. Slowly they walked towards her, their boots clicking on the floor and echoing in the empty space. When they stood on either side of her, her breath returned to normal and she found she could speak.

"What do you want? Why am I here?" she asked, frightened at the scenery and the cloaked figures. No matter how close they stood to her they still looked like shadows, their faces unrecognizable. They didn't answer either. Instead, they simply stood on either side of her, staring at each other in silence.

Then she began to shake. It started small enough, more like a quiver. Slowly she started to shake more until her body was completely vibrating, stretched out across the cold floor. She was shaking so much she could hear her bones rattling together. Pain started in her joints and slowly made its way to her head, which was pulsing with each convulsion. She wanted to cry out, but once again her voice had left her.

Just when she felt her body would fall apart the two figures nodded to each other and picked her up by her arms, one on either side. The convulsions stopped and she found herself being dragged over to the upside down cross, her legs trailing along the floor.

Duo was just about to doze off when suddenly he saw her body convulse on the bed, her breathing coming out in gasps and sweat dripping down her face. Her expression showed that she was in pain. Whatever was happening was hurting her. He could feel her hand getting unusually hot and then deathly cold in intervals under his touch.

"Hilde? Hilde, you have to wake up. Wake up!" he begged and held on to her hand tighter. "Please, Hilde, you have to wake up! Open your eyes! Open your eyes!"

She ignored his pleas, her eyes remained closed. Her body continued with it's convulsions and her could see her face going red and then flush right before his eyes. Not knowing what else to do, he wiped the sweat from her face and stared down worriedly at her. "Hilde…come on…wake up!" he begged. "I want you to open your eyes!"

Her mouth opened in an attempt to scream, but no sound came forth. She pulled in air desperately and her arms started to flail around her, hitting Duo hard in the face. He cried out in pain and fell back onto the floor as her body continued to move. Her breathing was getting more and more desperate and the sweat was wetting the pillow behind her head. The temperature and the color of her face continued to fluctuate and all he could do was sit there and watch, helpless to stop her pain.

'I'm sorry, Hilde…' he thought, closing his eyes so he didn't have to watch. 'If only you'd wake up…why won't you wake up…?' He bowed his head in defeat; he could still hear her thrashing around on the bed, trying to breathe and cry out. The convulsions were fast and big, her body almost jumping off the bed with each one.

No matter what he said she wouldn't open her eyes, couldn't open her eyes. Her screams were silent, the pain evident on her face. Scared, he turned away from the scene and looked out the window of her room. The outside was so peaceful, the night sky as dark as ebony, with one single star lighting the night.

The figures had pinned her to the upside down cross, one foot on each arm and her hands bound up above her head. She struggled against the chains, only causing them to dig deeper into her wrists and ankles. A grimace crossed her face as she felt fresh blood drip down her skin and join the rest of the blood in the pool beneath her.

It was getting hard to breath again and she found herself gasping slightly for breath. The figures had faded away and the room had suddenly turned black. Though she couldn't see anything, she could sense a dark presence in front of her. Fear made her skin prickle and a lump form in her throat. For some reason, she suddenly wanted to cry. Tears leaked down out of her eyes and made a red trail down her face. They were tears of blood going to join the rest of the blood.

Indigo eyes suddenly shone in the darkness and she gasped at the brightness of them. Whatever the presence was, it was moving towards her, slowly. When it finally stood in front of her she could make out the outline. It was tall and held something in its hand. The urge to scream became strong enough that the sound finally escaped her, echoing in the room.

Once the echoing ended the room slowly lightened, turning crimson once more. The figure in front of her wore all black, but she couldn't see the face. A scythe was held in its left hand. It moved closer to her and then she registered a sneer on the unclear face, its indigo eyes laughing at her. One of its cold fingers ran along her jaw line and stopped under her chin, tipping it up so that it could get a better look at her face.

Her whole body tensed at the deathly cold of its touch. "W-what do you want?" she asked, her voice quivering. A smell reached her nose, it smelled of decay, but also of something else. Something familiar. It was a much sweeter smell. The two scents mixed together, twisting and forming a new scent all its own.

She wasn't sure if the figure spoke or whether she simply heard it in her head, but it told her in a deep voice. "The end of the world." The words were so simple, so plainly spoken that it made a knot form in her stomach. It was making her feel nauseous, that smell was. Or maybe it was the words. She couldn't tell which. The figure was getting closer to her, but she still couldn't register any of the features on its face. Then, it kissed her. Its lips were cold, but the kiss was warm and passionate. After it pulled away she found that she really had to gasp for breath.

"Hilde…" the voice was Duo's, but she couldn't see him anywhere. "I love you…" His voice sounded sad, desperate, as if he'd never see her again. Then the figure picked up the scythe, ready to slice through her.

"Duo? Duo? I love you too!" she cried out desperately. "Where are you, Duo? I can't find you!" Her voice was choked and tears fell from her eyes again, this time salty and not blood. "Duo, please! Show me where you are!"

The figure froze for a second and then started to swing the scythe towards her. "The end of the world starts with you," the deep voice stated, deathly calm. 

Then, the scythe came down.

He heard her scream, making him turn back around to stare at her. Three scratches had crossed her body. One on her neck, the other two on each wrist. The convulsions had calmed slightly and he felt it was safe to get near her again. He took her hand in his and leaned over her to look into her face. The expression was now one of sadness, not so much pain.

"Hilde…" he whispered and kissed her sweaty forehead. The salty taste on his lips made him smile slightly. It was a new taste for her. He liked it. But not in this situation. "You have to wake up…" He smoothed her bangs out of her face gently and ran a finger along her jaw line, stopping under her chin and tipping it up to kiss her.

'Maybe this will wake you up…' he thought before he leaned down and kissed her, as passionately as he could with her not responding to his kiss. When he pulled away he looked down at her face once more. She was gasping for breath again, reminding him that she wasn't dead.

The convulsions completely stopped and she stopped gasping for breath, her breath rate and heart beat returning to normal. Her body temperature and skin color returned to normal as well and he breathed a sigh of relief. Her skin was still wet with sweat, but other than that it looked like she was simply sleeping. "Good girl…now all you have to do is wake up…" he whispered, running his hand along her face, glad that she looked okay.

"Where are you, Duo? I can't find you!" Her voice was choked and tears fell from her eyes. "Duo, please! Show me where you are!" Her arms flailed out in front of her and he pulled her to him, running his hands along her back and through her hair, making sure she could feel his touch.

He closed his eyes when he felt her body quiver with fear and abandonment. "I'm right here, Hilde, I'm right here," he told her soothingly. "I'm right here…" A scream escaped her lips and then she opened her eyes and stared into his face. "Hilde! Y-you're awake!" he exclaimed and held her against him tighter as the tears came down her face in rivers. Tears were filling his eyes as well, but he wouldn't let her see.

"There you are…I thought…I'd never see you again…" she stated, her voice shaking with fright as she held him tightly, squeezing him against her. "Oh, God, Duo…I-I was so scared…you weren't there… you weren't there…" He could visibly see her shaking in his arms. "It was so cold…so dark…so empty…" She ran her hands through his hair. "Don't ever leave me…don't ever leave me…" Her voice was desperate and scared.

Duo slowly started rocking her back and forth, his fingers rubbing up and down her backbone. "It's okay…I'm right here…I'm right here…" he soothed her in a hushed voice. "I won't leave, I promise I won't leave you…I'll stay right here…" She pulled away slightly and looked up at him, tears still leaking silently from her eyes. He smiled sadly and brushed them away with his thumbs, then kissed her gently. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and gladly kissed him back he smiled slightly. 'I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying right here, right here where you need me,' he thought. 'I love you…'

When they pulled away he held her at arms length and stared deeply into her eyes. "I love you, Hilde," he stated surely, his voice never quavering. "And, I swear, I will _never_ leave you. As long as you need me, I'll be here." She blinked but said nothing. "Understand? Never. I will never leave you."

She nodded, her bottom lip quivering slightly. "I love you too!" she exclaimed and pulled him to her in a rush, covering his face with kisses. "I need to be with you…if you left me…I think I'd cease to exist." Then she kissed him passionately, playing with his tongue and tasting all of him. She needed to feel him. Know that was really there. Physically.

Her hands wandered down his body and grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up over his head and dropping it on the ground. He stared at her in surprise and she grinned slightly, a light blush covering her cheeks and turning them a powdery pink. Since she didn't stop him, he moved to take off her shirt as well, seeing her skin for the second time that day.

Then he kissed her deeply, causing her breath to catch in her throat until he pulled away, trailing his kisses down the center of her neck. It was then that he saw the scratch and narrowed his eyes. Whatever had happened had hurt her in real life. Not wanting to think of it now, just wanting to think about Hilde, only Hilde, he bit down on the smooth skin of her neck and began to suck slowly at the surface.

She arched her neck and sighed, wrapping her arms around his smooth back and rubbing the smooth skin with her thumbs. When he pulled away she kissed him again before his lips could travel down farther. However, when they pulled away he took the opportunity to kiss her stomach again, his hands moving along the curves of her hips, waist, and breasts, finally stopping there and going around the back to unlatch her bra.

When the thin white fabric had been pulled away she sighed in release and her hands found the end of his pants and rubbed the button nervously. He noticed her stalling and placed a hand over hers, staring into her eyes. "We don't have to do this…" he reassured her.

Hilde shook her head and smiled sadly. "I need to feel you, Duo," she responded simply as she undid the button and pulled down the zipper. "Let me feel you…nothing but you…I need to know you're there…that I'm not alone…" Tears were wetting her eyes, but she pushed them back and kissed him again. While they kissed she pulled his pants away from his hips and let them fall to the floor. He kicked them off and undid her button as well.

She could smell him. His hair, his skin, everything. The smell was so familiar to her, but she didn't pause to think. She just wanted to feel, to touch. It had to be tangible under hands. They wandered up and down his smooth chest and stomach as he pulled her jeans down. The skin was so smooth, so warm. She could feel the toned muscles hiding underneath and a burning similar to the one before began to grow in her stomach.

Kicking off her jeans she lay back on the floor, pulling him with her. They touched and felt. Love and passion flowed from both of them as they kissed, letting their hands wander along each other. They weren't alone. They could feel it, physically and emotionally as they merged and became one, their bodies tangled together in a knot of love.


	5. Ch 5

Note: This chapter is very strange, the plot finally comes to it's climax. More strange Gas'la, the reason behind the nightmare, and more! But this isn't the last chapter! There will be one more!

Ch. 5-Awakening

Hilde woke up the next morning in Duo's arms. Memories of the night before flooded her mind and she smiled to herself. It had been wonderful. Duo was wonderful. She looked at him, his eyes closed peacefully in sleep. He always looked like a little boy when he slept, she thought as she gave him a quick peck on the lips. All the more reason to love him.

She didn't want to leave the safety of his arms, knowing that Gas'la could be around any corner. That thought alone made her shiver and she pulled herself closer to Duo's warmth, closing her eyes to block out the fear. 

The movement woke up and he opened his eyes, looking down to find Hilde curled in his arms. Pride flowed through him. She was his. Beautiful, loving, gentle, caring Hilde was his. And last night, last night was indescribable. He could still feel her. That feeling was amazing. Love was burning in his heart so hot that it almost hurt, but he liked it. He bent down to kiss her forehead, only to find that she was awake. Instead, he grinned and stretched, yawning as he did so.

"Good morning, Hilde," he greeted with a smile on his face as he sat up. "How long have you been up?" He yawned again and picked up his boxers, standing to put them on.

She, too, grinned and sat up, stretching away the slight stiffness in her body. "A few minutes. I was watching you sleep…" she told him, yawning as she stood to walk over to her dresser and grabbing some clothes to change into. "What do you want for breakfast?" She started to put her bra on, looping her arms through the straps and pulling it closer to her chest. Duo walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," he stated and kissed the back of her neck. "How about we go out for breakfast?" He ran his hands along her waistline and up to the edge of her bra, fastening it for her behind her back. She turned around to face him as she pulled her underwear up to her hips. His hands covered hers and he kissed her again, tasting her once more. He loved that taste.

When they'd pulled away she turned back around to grab a shirt and a skort. "Sounds good to me," she replied simply as she pulled the jean skort up to cover her underwear, fastening the scrap of cloth that covered the shorts. After pulling the floral short over her head she turned back around to give him a kiss on the nose. "You need to get dressed first, silly," she told him and gave him a peck on the lips and pulling away to sit on the edge of the bed, pulling her socks on and then tying her shoes.

He looked down at himself and then back at her, a grin crossing his lips. "You mean I can't go out like this?" he asked jokingly. She giggled and shook her head. "Well, fine, if they wanna be that way I guess I'll go get dressed. Be back in five." He then left the room to let her finish tying her shoes.

The loneliness made her heart race, but she forced herself to calm down and walk towards the bathroom. Closing the door, she went to the bathroom and then washed her hands. Running a brush through her hair she started to hum slightly to herself. She had never been so happy in her entire life. She was with Duo. He was hers. That thought made her smile before she washed her face. Then, drying her face off with a towel she brushed her teeth and stepped out of the bathroom to find Duo waiting there, his arms crossed over his chest.

She blushed and walked out of the bathroom. "Sorry…I didn't know you were waiting…" she told him and kissed his cheek. He shrugged and grinned, kissing her cheek as well and entering the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Waiting for him to come out she stood against the wall, her eyes looking at the floor as she remembered last night.

Duo opened the door, breaking her thoughts and causing her to look up at him. "Ready to go?" he asked simply, wrapping an arm possessively around her waist. When she nodded he walked her to the door, grabbing his checkbook along the way. After he'd closed the door behind him they headed in the direction of the nearest breakfast restaurant. "So, what did you think of last night?" he asked simply, pulling her closer to him. She blushed at the action, he'd never been so possessive before. It was like he wanted everyone to know she was his girl.

"Last night…" she paused as she looked for the right words, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked. "Last night was wonderful. I can't really describe it…" She wrapped an arm around his waist as well when a girl walked by and gave Duo 'the eye'. If she was his girl, he was her guy. She would make sure everyone knew that.

His cocky grin appeared them and he stopped walking, putting both hands on her shoulders. "So, you liked it?" he asked, his voice full of pride. "How about doing it again?" He cocked his head to the side, giving him the fake innocent look and making her giggle.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him. "I would love to," she told him honestly and then kissed him, pressing her body tightly against his. He kissed back, opening his mouth just enough to let her taste him again and wrapped his arms around the small of her back, pulling her even closer. When the kiss was over she pulled away and kept walking, making him hurry to catch up. "I thought you were starving," she joked when he glared at her.

"Yeah…but…" he sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "You taste better than eggs and bacon. But, eggs and bacon don't pull away and run off." He looked over at her disappointedly and she had to laugh at his seriousness. "What is so funny?" he asked in mock annoyance. "I'm trying to be serious here. This is a very serious matter."

This made her roar with laughter and he pulled her to him to kiss him again. He growled jokingly before he kissed her. This one didn't last as long, simply because Hilde was laughing so hard. "You are so silly," she told him as they walked up to the restaurant. "Now, let's eat. I'm pretty starved myself."

Duo pouted, jutting out his bottom lip, but it dissolved into a smile seconds later. "I can go for that!" he exclaimed and then they entered the restaurant. After they'd been shown to their table they sat down on either side and began to look at the menus. He looked at her over his menu and smiled to himself. He really loved her. More than anything. He would die for her, that much he knew.

After ordering, Duo stretched back in his chair and took a sip of his coffee. He gasped when he burned his tongue, almost dropping the mug on the table and spilling coffee everywhere. Hilde cracked up as he guzzled down half a glass of ice water before he could speak again. "Honestly, Hilde, why didn't you tell me it was hot?" he complained, a grimace on his boyish face. That statement made her laugh even harder and he shot a glare in her direction. "It's not funny," he stated with a pout. "That really hurt." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his laughing girlfriend.

"I'm sorry, Duo," she managed between fits of laughter. "You're just so stupid sometimes!" She managed to regain her composure and sipped her coffee. He gave her a 'thanks a lot' look just as the waiter brought them their food. He instantly began eating his scrambled eggs and ignoring her occasional giggles.

After finishing those he moved on to the pancakes and sausage. "Stop laughing at me and eat," he stated angrily before he shoved a large bite of pancake into his mouth. The sharpness in his voice surprised her as she started to eat her eggs. For a moment there was complete silence as they ate, but as soon as she'd swallowed her eggs she reached out to touch his hand.

She sighed and lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry…I didn't know it would offend you that much…" she told him honestly. "I won't laugh at you anymore, okay? Just please don't be mad at me over such a stupid thing…please?" She gave him the 'I'm really sorry' look and the tightness in his facial muscles disappeared. She knew she'd won and smiled as she continued to eat her breakfast.

They finished their breakfast and paid the bill; then it was back to the trailer to get ready for work. Once they reached the door Gas'la appeared in front of it, making Hilde jump back into Duo's arms. The grin on his face made her blood run cold.

He sighed and rested back against the door with one arm, his eyes never leaving Duo's. "Hey there, Duo Maxwell," he greeted evilly, his grin quickly becoming a full-fledged sneer. "I see you've been busy…then again, what else is new, right? This isn't the first time, is it?" Duo looked at him in confusion. "Too bad it hasn't worked yet. Though, this one might…" He walked away from the door and towards the couple, making Hilde whimper in fear.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he stated, his jaw line tightening in anger, his grip on Hilde tightening. Gas'la chuckled slightly put his hand on Duo's cheek. Angry, he pulled away and pushed Hilde behind him. "Don't touch me, or her," he commanded, his voice tight.

Gas'la laughed at his actions and disappeared, reappearing behind him and grabbing Hilde by her arms, holding her close to his body. "You're making this too easy, Duo Maxwell," he stated as she struggled in his grasp. "You want you're little girl, don't you?" He brought his lips to a position where they were hovering just above the skin on her neck. "She had quite a fright last night, after all."

Duo clenched his hands into fists and glared at him. "Let her go," he commanded, his voice quivering with anger. "You don't want her, do you? I thought you were after me." Hilde continued to struggle, unable to break free of his hold on her wrists. It was so tight that she grimaced at the pain erupting along her arm.

"Maybe I do want her…" he replied, his voice quiet and silky smooth. "She is a pretty little thing, isn't she? Not bad for a human…" His fingers trailed up her arm, making her skin prickle and her body tense. "But, if you want her back, you're going to have to follow me."

Hilde shook her head, pleading Duo not to follow his orders. "Duo, please, don't worry about me! He'll kill you if you do what he asks!" she cried, trying to pull away again. "I'll be fine, I just don't want you to die!" Tears were trailing down her cheeks again in desperation. She wanted to be in his arms now, like she had been last night.

Gas'la grinned. "You listen to your girl here, and you and her will both die," he threatened. "Just like the others. However, if you do exactly as I say, there is a chance you might live." His eyes met Duo's and he grinned again. "Of course, you don't have to believe me and I can kill her right now. It's your choice, Duo Maxwell." Another thought crossed his mind. "Or, I can give her some more of those nightmares, couldn't I?"

"Let her go. I'll go with you," he conceded, lowering his head in defeat. "Just let her go…" His voice was sad and full of sorrow at his decision. When he looked back up he saw Gas'la grinning that evil grin of his, his eyes flashing evilly. "But, you have to let her go," he stated with surety in his voice.

"Of course," he replied, not releasing his grip on Hilde. "You have to come over here before I let her go. It's only fair." Duo walked over to him and Gas'la released one hand to grab him, then the scenery dissipated before their eyes and changed into a crimson room. Hilde gasped when he released her and she looked around her. There was the upside down cross and the curtains made of blood. It was all too real. She screamed and put her head in her hands, shaking it back and forth. Blackness covered her vision again and she passed out on the floor.

Duo stared at her worriedly and then looked at Gas'la. "I thought you said you'd let her go!" he exclaimed as he tried to run over to her, only to be held back by his grip. "You lied to me, you son of a bitch!" This only gave him one of Gas'la's infamous grins.

He pulled Duo closer to him, tracing his lips with his fingers. "I let her go, didn't I?" he asked, his voice suddenly quiet and gentle. "Please don't be mad at me, Duo Maxwell, you'll be thanking me later…" With that he kissed him. It was slow and gentle at first and then more passionate. Duo tried to pull away, but his body wouldn't respond to his wants and needs. When Gas'la finally pulled away his eyes were shining. "This might hurt a little, I'm sorry…"

A sharp pain started in the center of his back and he felt the smooth blood pour from the wound as Gas'la removed the dagger. The pain slowly spread from the wound until it consumed his whole body. He screamed and fell to the ground, his hands on either side of his pounding head. The screaming continued as he reeled in pain on the floor.

Gas'la simply watched the display, his expression never faltering. Duo Maxwell was definitely the one. None of the others had lasted this long. Agony was all over that beautiful face and filling those indigo eyes that shone with the unusual, love and life.

Slowly the pain started to retreat back to the wound until all that was left was the pain caused by the dagger in his back. He couldn't move, he was frozen in his position on the floor. His body wouldn't register any of the movements he wanted it to perform. It was like he was in a shell and he couldn't get out. He couldn't even tell if his heart was still beating or if he was breathing at all. All he could see was the black ceiling above him.

Finally he managed to twitch his finger and blink his dry eyes. "What just happened to me?" he croaked out, the first sign of life to show itself to Gas'la. "I feel like shit…" He groaned and sat up, reaching back to touch the wound gently. It was pulsing as the body rushed to heal the hole in his body. His heart was beating now and he could feel himself breathing.

"Good, you're still alive," Gas'la stated as he knelt down in front of him. "You are the one I've been searching for…" He placed his hand under his chin and looked deeply into his eyes. "And one with such a beautiful face too…" He kissed him again, causing Duo to tense and try to pull away. But, once again, he was no longer in control of his body. It wasn't responding.

Gas'la pulled away with a genuine grin on his face. "The time has come…" he whispered as he stood, pulling Duo to his feet. "It has finally come…" He ran both hands along Duo's face, his eyes never leaving his.

"What time?" Duo asked frustratedly. "I don't understand what's going on…or what you're trying to do to me…" He tried to pull away, but Gas'la held him in place. "And, what does Hilde have to do with this? I want you to let her go!" His gaze drifted over to see that she was still passed out on the cold floor, unmoving. "Let her go!" His voice was pleading.

To his surprise, Gas'la's expression turned to one of pity. "How ironic that you would fall in love with her…" he stated wistfully as he led Duo over to the upside down cross. "It's sad, really. But, it can't be helped. It will truly hurt me to see you in pain…" They were standing directly in front of the upside down cross now and Duo could look down into the pool of blood, his stomach churning. "I will ease your pain…once all this is over…there will be plenty of time for that…"

The upside down cross started to glow and Duo covered his eyes to block the bright light. Suddenly feeling warmth, he reached out to touch the surface only to find it surprisingly smooth underneath the warm light. Drawn to it, his indigo eyes glowing, he pressed both hands against it an then his whole body.

Hilde grimaced and sat up, her head throbbing. She reached her hand up behind her head and looked around her once again. When she saw Duo with the light and the upside down cross her heart lurched in her chest. "No! Duo! Don't touch the light! You'll get drawn in!" she cried desperately, knowing it was useless to get through. She stood, despite the throbbing of her head, and ran towards him, only to be repelled back, falling harshly onto the ground.

Gas'la turned to look at her, a sneer on his face. "You can't reach him now, Hilde Schbeiker," he stated evilly. "It has begun." He turned his attention back to Duo, who was pressed completely against the upside down cross, his lips pressed against the surface. "Good…very good…"

She sat up and wiped the blood away from the side of her mouth. "Duo…" she whispered sadly, tears filling her eyes as she watched him. "You're leaving me now, aren't you…?" The tears came freely and she didn't even try to stop them. He was leaving her. That thought was too much for her and she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head. Blackness once more formed in the corners of her eyes and she fell onto the floor unconscious.

Duo started to merge with the light. It filled his body and ran along his outline as he kissed the surface passionately. Suddenly the warmth left him cold and empty. He pulled away and stared at the upside down cross longingly. He wanted to fell it again. The warmth, the passion churning through his veins. But, it was gone. He turned back to look at Gas'la, who was staring expectantly at him. Confused, he walked back over to him and let himself be wrapped in the man's arms. Everything was so fuzzy and he couldn't see straight.

Then Gas'la kissed him again, the third time, and this time he didn't try to pull away. Instead he stood there and let him taste him. When he pulled away he backed away completely. This made Duo even more confused and a small throb started in the back of his head. Trying to ignore it he tried to walk towards Gas'la.

"What's happening?" he asked, his voice shaking for no reason. The throbbing was getting larger slowly but surely. "This throbbing…what does it mean? Tell me!" He was begging now as his vision began to get clouded and spotty. The throbbing was so intense now that he could feel it directly behind his eyes.

It was so strong that he fell to his knees, his hands on either side of his head, massaging his temples and closing his eyes to block out the throbbing. It was no use. The throbbing was consuming him. He could see black filling the corners of his eyes and felt his body go limp before complete blackness consumed him.

Visions soon began to replace the blackness that clouded his vision. A scythe, blood, the end of the world, hate. All of it confused him as he fought for his consciousness. The fighting was causing the throbbing to split his head in two. Pain seared through him and he screamed. "Don't fight it…" a gentle voice told him. "Let it happen…it won't hurt so much…"

He sighed and relaxed, trying to let the visions free throughout his mind. Then the last one stopped him from thinking. It was Hilde, nude and assaulted, blood coming from her and forming a pool around her. This made his breath catch in his chest and his heart beat skip. "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" he cried painfully, trying to block the vision. When it didn't go away he screamed again, the sound was full of agony and depression. "No, not Hilde. Anyone but Hilde," he begged nothing in particular.

The vision started to fade and a cool hand was placed on his forehead. "It's okay…you can wake up now…" the voice was so soothing, so full of pity. He opened his eyes to find Gas'la's face only inches from his. "It's over…the time is almost here…soon your pain will be over…" He gave him a brisk kiss and allowed him to sit up and place his head in his hand.

"H-Hilde…she was…dead…in a pool of blood…" he muttered, rubbing his forehead to try and block the image from his memory. "She was nude…what happened to her? Who hurt her?" Gas'la looked at him, his eyes full of sorrow. "Don't look at me like that, answer my question. Who hurt her?" He brushed bangs out of his face and then pulled him closer to him. "Who hurt her? Please…tell me it wasn't me…tell me it wasn't me…" Tears came to his eyes again and flowed like rivers down his cheeks, wetting Gas'la's tunic.

Gas'la rocked him back and forth, soothing him and relieving him of his pain. "It'll all be over soon…I promise…soon…" his voice was quiet and gentle, almost the same as Hilde's whenever he would come in at night after having a nightmare. She would hold him and everything would be alright. He would go back to bed and sleep peacefully. Suddenly the peaceful rocking stopped and Gas'la's body tensed. He looked up at him to see him staring intently at something. When he turned he saw two figures standing on either side of the upside down cross. He looked back up at Gas'la in confusion. "It's time," he explained shortly and motioned for him to stand.

He did, and then turned to face the figures. His body then began to move on its own as it slowly walked over to stand in front of the upside down cross again. The two figures moved to stand on either side of him and suddenly pain felt like it was ripping his body in two. A scream escaped his lips as he felt his skin slash open and blood soak his clothes. He tried to block it out, but it was no use. The pain was too great. As his body bled his mind began to experience a sharp, searing pain that blocked out all his senses. 

His screams were bloodcurdling and Gas'la had to turn away, unable to look at the great Duo Maxwell, the beautiful Duo Maxwell, in such intense pain. Instead his gaze fell on Hilde, who was still passed out on the floor, her ebony hair falling around her face and increasing her beauty. He crawled over to her and lifted her into his lap.

"It's time for you to wake up now…" he whispered and she opened her eyes to look up at him. "It is time." Her eyes held both depression and confusion; he could see the tears wetting them and threatening to come out. Duo's screams reached her ears and she turned to look at him.

The sight of his skin being ripped from itself and the blood joining the blood in the pool was too much for her. His bloodcurdling screams made her stomach and churn and she turned her gaze away from the scene. 'Duo…my Duo…' she thought sadly as the tears made their way silently down her cheeks. 'I love you…' Suddenly it became silent and she turned to find Duo collapsed on the floor, his body limp and unmoving.

Her eyes widened at the fear that he might be dead and she ran over to him, reaching out a hand to touch his cold forehead. All the blood that had soaked his body before had disappeared, but he still lay completely still, his chest no longer rising and falling with breathing. She touched his neck only to find that he had no pulse either. "Duo…" she whispered forlornly, running her hand down along his cheek and bent forward to kiss his forehead. "Wake up…I still need you, Duo…you can't leave me yet…you promised, remember?"

Duo's indigo eyes snapped open and he looked at her without seeing her. She backed away with sudden fright as he sat up and stared ahead of him, his gaze going right through her. "Duo?" she asked worriedly. "B-but you're not breathing…y-you have no heartbeat…"

The two figures from before walked back towards them, taking Hilde by each arm and pulling her away from him. "Duo! Wait, I have to make sure he's okay!" she pleaded, turning her face to look after her as they dragged her towards the upside down cross. "Duo!" She struggled, trying to release their grip on her arms only to succeed in hurting herself more. "Please, Duo! Help me! You have to help me!" Tears of desperation made their way down her cheeks as fear tightened in her chest. "DUO!!!" her cry was full of sadness, fear, and desperation.

Gas'la walked up behind Duo and wrapped his arms around his waist. "You've finally awoken," he said gratefully, his voice soft with a hint of happiness. "I thought I'd never see you…" Duo turned to look at him and sneered. "M-Master?" he asked, his voice echoing the confused expression on his face.

"Don't touch me, Gas'la," he commanded and pushed him away. "You've done your job, now go." The command was so cold and heartless that Gas'la felt it hit his chest like an iceberg. He stared at him incredulously, making Duo angry. "I told you to go!" he exclaimed and smacked him across the face.

He turned back around to face Hilde as they pinned her up to the upside down cross. One foot on each arm and her arms suspended above her. Just like in the dream. That fact alone scared her and her breathing started to come out in gasps. Duo was moving towards her slowly, a scythe appearing in his hands. His indigo eyes no longer glowed with the life that was Duo, they were dead and unmoving, they didn't even blink.

"Duo? What are you doing?" she asked, her voice shaking in fear. It was all so real and so like her dream. The figure had been Duo. Her mind wouldn't except the fact and she shook her head to make it leave. "No…no…no…" she murmured over and over again. Then she threw her head back and screamed. "Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

"Shinigami has finally awakened," a voice stated in her head and her eyes widened in fear.


	6. Ch 6

Note: As you can probably tell, this is the end. The conclusion comes! ^ ^ Please tell me what you thought of this story! Read and review please!

Ch. 6-Owari

Duo grinned, an evil grin that made Hilde's blood run cold. He was really going to kill her. She tried to calm down her heart beat as she struggled against the chains binding her wrists and ankles. "Duo, please, don't do this…I'm begging you not to do this…" she pleaded, more tears falling from the corners of her eyes.

"The end of the world starts with you," the voice stated, making her heart race. She felt dizzy and she realized her blood pressure must've dropped drastically. Her vision kept blurring in and out of focus and she couldn't see the expression on Duo's face. All she knew was that he was no longer her Duo, he was somebody else entirely. "You must die to unlock the power." Those words, 'you must die', sent a chill up and down her spine and she shivered as she hung against the upside down cross.

Hilde looked at him, her expression scared but caring at the same time. Duo couldn't have totally died, he had to still be in there. She could feel it. His spirit was around her, protecting her. She took a deep breath. "Duo, I know you're in there. You can fight this. Whatever this is that has taken over your body, I know you can fight it."

Her eyes bore into his, reading his soul. There was a struggle inside there, a weak one, but it was there. She could feel that as well. But Duo ignored her words and lifted the scythe, ready to bring it down on her. All she could do was close her eyes and wait for death to come. Then she heard a clank as the scythe hit the floor and Duo covered his face with his hands.

"No…you can't kill her…you can't," the voice was Duo's as he struggled with himself. "I love her…she can't die at my hands…she can't…" He shook his head, tears coming from his eyes as well. When he pulled his head away to look at her, his expression changed to one of a weak smile. "Hilde… you're not dead yet…" he stated and stood, walking closer to her. "I'm so glad…I thought you were going to die…"

With that said he kissed her passionately on the lips, his fingers tracing along her facial features. When he pulled away he was grinning. "Let's get you out of here," he said lightly and then stopped, his eyes widening. He coughed up blood and backed away, his expression full of sudden pain and agony. His eyes were closed as he tried to block it out.

It was no use, he fell to the floor, holding his head in his hands. A scream full of pain came from his lips and then his head fell back, hitting into the cold hardness of the floor. "Duo?" she asked quietly, fearing that he'd died in front of her eyes. "Duo…are you okay?"

For a long, agonizing moment he didn't move or speak. When he finally found his voice it came out weak and shaky. "Hilde…" he replied, his voice deathly quiet and it scared her. He coughed, spitting blood out of his mouth as he rolled over onto his side slowly, pain gripping his body. Whatever was inside of him was winning again. "I…I love you…Hilde…" He could feel his heart beat slowing and his breathing was becoming more shallow.

She stared at him, scared that he was dying. "Duo? Why are you talking like that?" she asked angrily. "You're not dying! Sit up! Look at me! I love you too! Now, we have to get out of here! We're going home! Get up!" Her voice was turning desperate and fresh new tears were stinging her eyes, just when she thought she had none left to cry.

Duo sighed wearily and shut his eyes. 'I'm sorry, Hilde, I can't fight like this anymore…it hurts too much…' he thought sadly as he felt his body die around him and he retreated back to the dark corners of his mind. Shinigami came forth again, strengthening his body as he sat up to look at Hilde angrily. "You'll pay for that, mortal bitch," he growled and stood up. "You're death will be the cause of long painful agony."

Hilde spit at him and turned her face away before he could smack her. "Leave Duo alone! He's done nothing!" she cried angrily, her eyebrows pulling together. "All he did was love me! That's all he did…" She sobbed, but no tears came from her eyes, they were finally dry of all tears. "Please, find someone else…"

The scythe disappeared and a whip took its place. He flicked it absent-mindedly on his wrist as he glared at her. "I don't think so. This is what he was born to do. The one he would fall in love would be the one he would have to kill. It starts the downward cycle to total annihilation." He sneered again, twisting his face so that he no longer resembled Duo.

Her breath caught in her throat and she gasped, pulling in air in a sudden panic. Death she could handle, but not torture, and he was very serious. She watched every action in slow-mo as he lifted the whip and then snapped it across her legs. A scream came from her but she couldn't think. The scream was held out for only seconds, but it felt like minutes as the pain came searing up from the fresh gash on her thighs.

Cold, smooth blood slipped down her thighs and she took in a deep breath, closing her eyes against the pain. The whip snapped again, harder and faster this time, and it hit across her stomach. She cried out at the quick contact that ripped at her skin, pulling it away and leaving a long and bloody gash. Everything suddenly sped up as the whip made contact that second time and she could feel her heart racing in her chest. She felt dizzy and nauseous at the same time.

Once again the whip slashed her legs and she felt her bone snap under the pressure. A pain-filled scream echoed throughout the chamber and fresh tears fell down her cheeks and mixed with the dried ones on her face. 

He walked closer to her, the whip balled up in his fist. With that he smacked her across the face hard and fast. She could feel her jaw chip and the blood started to flow down from the wound, adding to the tears. Then she slowly turned her face back to look at him, the throbbing from the wound making her wince.

The sneer crossed his face once more as he got dangerously close to her. "You are pretty for a human," he stated, using his hand to move her face back and forth. "I can see why he would be attracted to you…" 

She closed her eyes and tried to imagine something other than his cold touch on her skin and the smell of his body so close to hers. It was the smell of decay that had occurred in her dream. All the facts coming together made her wanted to scream and fall apart at the same time. Then she felt her skort fall to the floor beneath her, followed by her underwear. Fresh air on her wounds made her wince and a short cry came from her barely parted lips.

His fingers were wandering along her legs, starting at the ankles and slowly, painfully moving up to rest on her thighs. The touch was feather light, but it felt like needles were piercing her skin in a million different places. He bent down and licked the blood from her wound sensuously, letting it drip down his throat. Then he brought fingers in between her legs and stroked them, threatening to enter her.

Hilde jumped slightly when she felt them push their way inside and her breath came out in short, raspy gasps. The pleasure reached her brain first and then the humility that this was beyond her control. The on thing she had been afraid of forever was finally happening. As his fingers moved in and out, pressing farther and farther inside each time, she began to breath heavily and closed her eyes. She wasn't supposed to enjoy this sensation running through her body. A burning had started in her lower stomach and she tried to suppress it, but it was no use.

Breathing and heart rate became quicker and louder as the burning became stronger and stronger until she couldn't take it anymore. Giving in to the pleasure she moaned, taking his hair in her hands and pulling on it.

When he noticed this he pulled his fingers away and replaced them with his tongue, slowly flicking it in and out of the warm cavity. It was wet and cool as it flicked in and out. She moaned again and refused to let him pull away from her. The burning was getting too strong, but she continued trying to hold it in. Her chest heaved up and down from the effort and she moaned loud enough to have it echo in the empty cavern of a room.

When the moans started to come faster and quicker he pulled his tongue slowly out of the cavity and licked his lips, looking up at her with a hungry look in his eyes. Her eyes remained closed as she felt the feeling slowly subside. He stood up slowly and kissed her deeply, tasting all of her with his tongue as it played with hers. Her eyes snapped open in surprise at the motion, but she refused to kiss back.

Disappointed, he pressed his body against hers and ran his hand along her curves. He wanted the seduction to continue. But, the burning fire inside of her had extinguished, leaving him no cards left to play. Disgusted, he pushed away from her and picked the whip up once more. The sneer crossed his features once more as he prepared to snap the whip against her bare skin.

'NO!' a voice cried inside his head, making him drop the whip and place two fingers on his forehead, pushing the voice away. 'Don't you dare touch her, you bastard!' He sneered and stood back up. "Don't tell me what to do. Or else I'll kill your little girlfriend right now," he threatened as he picked the whip up again. "And it won't be pretty…"

Hilde's eyes widened. Was Duo still fighting inside? "Duo? Are you there?" she asked, her voice shaking with hope and fear. "Duo! I want to see you! Please, show me you're still there! Fight him!" She started to struggle against the chains, causing blood to pour from the wounds. But she didn't care, not if Duo was still alive.

He backed up and dropped the chain again, holding his head in his hands. His eyebrows pulled together in a pained expression and he looked up at her with sudden determination in those pained eyes. "I will kill you…" he whispered, his voice raspy. Then he slowly walked towards her, picking up the whip on his way. Just as he lifted the whip to snap it against her chest it dropped again and he growled in annoyance. "Dammit, leave me alone!"

"Duo! Please! You can escape! Please, save me…I need you!" she cried desperately as she continued to struggle against the chains, more blood dripping down her arms and feet. "Duo…I love you! Show me where you are! Show me you're still here!"

"Shut up!" he exclaimed and smacked her across the face. "You're pleading is hopeless, he's dead. He'll stay dead." He froze again and his eyes suddenly softened. "Hilde…I'm trying…but it hurts so much to try…" the voice was definitely Duo's. "I can't win against him…I'm sorry…I failed you…" Tears were leaking down his face and she could feel her heart breaking at the sight. "I will always love you…always…" He reached out and touched her face forlornly.

She tilted her face into his warm touch and smiled slightly. "You can't fail…you're too strong for that…" she told him, her voice soft. "I love you…we have to end up happy ever after, right? Don't give up…please…" Her eyes were begging him to stay and he bent over to kiss her tenderly. Just after their lips touched he lurched backwards. "Duo?"

Duo screamed and coughed up more blood. "NO! I won't loose to you!" he cried stubbornly and coughed up more blood, wrapping his arms around his waist and bending in half. "I love her and I won't let you have her! I still need her…her touch…her smell…her smile…everything about her. I need her more than she'll ever know! You can't have her!" He screamed again and new wounds began to cover his body, blood spilling from them and causing new stains on his clothing.

"I need something from her too…her life!" the over voice exclaimed, the sneer taking over the sweet visage that had been there only seconds before. "The apocalypse is finally here…the end of the world is coming. News breaks hard, sweetheart."

Hilde was sobbing now, not able to look at the other person inside Duo. "Duo…please…beat him…" she whispered as he brought the whip up again. "I believe in you…I always have…" Those soft words soaked into Duo and he finally found the strength he needed.

'I love her…you will not kill her and you won't destroy this Earth…' he told Shinigami. 'I will beat your sorry ass out of here.' "You don't know what you're fighting against…boy…" he responded, his voice cold and heartless. "You will never defeat me…since I'm a part of you…" 'A part of me?' "That's right…I was born inside of you when you were born…you need me…"

She lifted her head and looked at him. The whip was once more on the floor and he was grimacing in pain. "Duo? You're there…" she smiled sadly. "You won't loose after all…that's my Duo…"

Something touched her wrists and she looked up to see Gas'la undoing the chains that bound her there, his touch was so gentle and caring that she was surprised. The way he caressed the wounds before he let her arms drop to her sides made her body relax. "You have to save him…" he explained as he moved around to undo each of her ankles. "You're the only one who can…"

"Gas'la…thank you…" she told him as she fell from the upside down cross into his arms. "But, what can I do?" She stood and pulled her jeans and underwear back up to cover herself.

He stood as well and smiled sadly. "You'll know what to do…" he said distantly just before a scythe ripped through his body and he collapsed onto the floor weakly. Shinigami stood behind him with a sneer on his face. Blood dripped from the end of his scythe and he looked like death himself standing there in that stance.

She looked at Gas'la one more time with tears coming out of her eyes. "Gas'la…" she whispered and then looked back up at Shinigami. "I'll do what you died so I could do." She slowly walked towards him, a determined look on her face.

"You're next…" he stated in his icy tone. 

Hilde shook her head and covered his hand with her own, keeping complete control of the scythe. Her eyes bored into his and she pulled his face closer to hers with her other hand. "Too many people will die if I let you win…" she told him and took a deep breath. "You need my help, Duo, so I lend you my strength and my will…just beat him…"

Then she kissed him deeply, letting his hand go as the scythe fell useless to the floor next to him and he wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her closer to him as he tasted her and felt her warm body against his. 'She's right…we can't let you win…' he thought as he pulled away, still not letting her go.

'I will reign!' Shinigami told him angrily. 'You will loose.'

Duo closed his eyes against his voice and kissed Hilde again, taking in her strength to push him out of him. He felt himself slowly growing stronger as the kiss lasted longer and longer; he didn't want to let her go. Ever. She felt so good inside of his arms. But he knew he had to break away so he could defeat Shinigami.

'There will be plenty of time to hold me later, Duo, now get rid of this guy,' she told him sweetly and pulled away from him, collapsing in his arms. 'I love you…so we'll get through this…kill him…'

His eyes pooled with tears but he blinked them away and set her down on the ground gently. Then he stood up straight and closed his eyes. Wounds cut into his body but he ignored the pain as he searched for Shinigami. All he knew was that he had to kill him, silence him for all eternity. Then he found the figure in his mind and glared at him. 'You're going down…' he told him determinedly.

The figure sneered. 'You really will die for this?' he asked in surprise. 'You can't kill me without killing yourself…' He felt Duo's body tense and he chuckled. 'That makes you scared, doesn't it? After all, you are only human. Humans are weak…'

Anger flowed through Duo's veins and he snapped his eyes open. "If we're so weak, why is it that you have to use one of our bodies to invade our world?" he asked, his tone icy. "You will be silenced. For Hilde, for Earth, for all the people who live out their lives day-to-day, for my friends and their loved ones. And most of all…for myself…"

'Shut up, boy! The end of the world is coming, and a mortal like you can stop it. I will succeed,' he responded shortly. 'You will die…now.'

A sharp pain started in the center of Duo's brain and he cried out against it, holding his head in his hands and closing his eyes. Not this easily. He wouldn't die that easily. He was a Gundam pilot. A headache couldn't decide on life or death. There was no way. He screamed and pushed the pain back towards the figure. The figure was weakening, but the pain persisted inside his head.

Determination suddenly filled him and he pushed all of his strength inside of himself, breaking apart the barrier between himself and the figure. 'You will never win!' he exclaimed as he felt the tearing inside as he broke down the figure inside of his mind. 'You picked the wrong Gundam pilot to mess with…you son of a bitch!'

With that the blast of power suddenly became to much for the figure and he cried out through Duo, echoing throughout the room. More wounds opened along Duo's neck and chest, blood gushing from them and spilling onto the floor. He supported himself by placing his hands on the cold, hard floor and closing his eyes against the burning inside of him. The figure had to die, and if he died with him, so be it. Hilde, his friends, and everyone he didn't know couldn't die at the hands of this creature inside of him.

He felt all strength leave his body and the figure as well as the blackness threatened to consume him forever. 'Wait…don't die yet…you can live…' a voice so familiar to him stated, but he couldn't remember the source of the voice. He grimaced as he felt a warm touch against his head and then one on his chest.

Was the battle over? Had he defeated him? He was so tired. He simply wanted to sleep, to rest after the exhausting battle. To escape the pain that was throbbing over his entire body. But something was letting him.

Lips touched his and he felt the pain slowly wash away, starting at his toes and making it's way up to his head. Once the throbbing left his exhaustion left the same way. He opened his eyes to see Gas'la leaning over him. "You…" he stated, his voice raspy and soft as he sat up, rubbing his temples with his thumbs.

"You're alive, I thought I'd loose you," he responded, taking his face in his hands and leaning in closer to him. "You did it…Shinigami is now dormant inside of you. He will only awaken if you want him to…no one can force him out again without killing both you and him."

Duo pulled away and looked around him. Hilde was no where to be found. This thought made panic rise up in him and he turned back to face Gas'la. "Where's Hilde? What did you do with her?" he asked angrily. Gas'la simply smiled and moved out of the way, showing Hilde lying behind him on the floor. "Hilde! Oh, thank God!" he exclaimed as he ran back over to her, cradling her head in his lap and stroking her hair.

Gas'la smiled at them sadly, his body suddenly looking very weak. Duo's eyes observed a bloody scythe and then the wound going through Gas'la's stomach. "You two will be happy…" he said, his voice quavering as more blood poured from the wound. He coughed to clear his throat, blood leaking out of his lips and down his chin. "I'll send you home now…"

"What about you?" he asked, suddenly caring about the thing that had once frightened and angered him the most. "What will happen to you?"

His green eyes saddened as he felt the strength of his body leaking away. "I will die here…in the room of my master…whom I loved so much," here his eyes became wistful again. "The last of my strength will be used to transport you back to your world. Farewell, Duo Maxwell."

A crimson light surrounded him and Hilde, blocking and distorting his view of the room. Everything was slowly disappearing, including the dying Gas'la on the floor. "Wait! I don't even know your name!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing as the darkness outside of the swirling light grew larger. He held Hilde closer to him.

"Gas'la…" a voice whispered before the view went completely black.

Duo closed his eyes and leaned down to kiss Hilde's cheek. "May you rest in peace, Gas'la…" he whispered before his lips brushed her skin. She was still unconscious in his arms and very light. This worried him and his heart raced slightly in his chest.

The light stopped swirling and slowly dissipated, leaving them outside of their trailer. He looked down at her in the sunlight, squinting his eyes to block out the light from the sun. She looked very pale, too pale. Not knowing what else to do, he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the trailer, laying her down on the couch. 'What do I do?' he thought, looking around desperately. 'Think, you stupid fool, think!'

Then a thought struck him. He would have to give her strength back to her the same way she had given it to him. Without hesitation he pressed his lips to hers, lifting her up in his arms as he did so. Slowly he felt her skin warm beneath his touch. When he pulled away he found himself staring directly into her eyes and a smile spread across his lips.

"Did we do it, Duo?" she asked weakly, a smile of her own playing across her face. "We did, didn't we? W-what happened to Gas'la?" When she saw his expression her smile disappeared. "He died…" she whispered knowingly, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest. "At least it's over…"

He stroked her hair, his gaze distant. He wouldn't tell her that Shinigami was simply dormant. She didn't need to know. They were both alive and they had each other. That was all that mattered at the moment. Why worry over something? Why not just be happy and hold on to each other?

"Yes…it's over…" he whispered back before he lifted her chin up to kiss her. "It's all over. And, you're still here." He smiled sadly, tears sparkling in his eyes. "Thank God, you're still here…I'm not alone…" He kissed her deeply, running his hands along her curves to make sure she was truly there in his arms.

When they pulled away Hilde smiled, brushing his bangs out of his face. "No…" she responded, shaking her head. "You're not alone, Duo, and you'll never be. We'll always have each other…" She kissed him then, deeply and passionately, pulling him down on top of her with a playful grin on her face.

"You really did like last night, didn't you?" he asked jokingly before he kissed her again, still holding her close to him. "Hilde…I want you…I mean…I…I would like it if you…" His voice faltered slightly and he kissed her again for reassurance. When they pulled away she saw blush on his cheeks. "Will you marry me, Hilde?"

Hilde froze, her eyes wide at the sudden question. Then she smiled, kissing him deeply and running her fingers through his hair. "I would love to, Duo," she told him with tears in her eyes. "I think I always wanted that…always…" A single tear fell from her eyes, a tear of happiness, but a tear nonetheless.

He brushed it away with his finger and kissed her again. Then their passion unfolded, thankful to be in each other's arms again. They touched, they felt, they became one. Each touch reassured them that the other would never go away. That they could stay as one forever. That it would never end. Their love was blooming that afternoon and the junkyard never opened.

~Owari.


End file.
